Diwali Tears

Dr. Sushil K. Sharma, Lautoka

Diwali is not only a time to enjoy the triumph of good over evil, it is also a great time to reflect.

As you look in awe and marvel at the beautiful lights, the many splendid varieties of food, sweets and savouries displayed in your dinner table, the sparklers and crackers booming away in the yard in the midst of your family’s laughter, love and joy – and look at yourself and your family dressed in your year’s best attire that money can buy, and dream, and fantasise, and wish that the Diwali  evening would never end, please spare a small moment or tear to reflect and ponder on the unfortunate.

Diwali is not a time for joy for them, but of severe painful memories of loved ones who may have died, become separated, or literally not there but miles away in another land, or due to some unfortunate accident parted from you.

These are the evenings – once in a year when you sit and reflect on the past years when you were together as partners and loved ones.

Diwali only exacerbates – worsens – aggravates – intensifies – the loneliness and the pain and the suffering that you feel and endure with a heavy heart.

Also think of all those who do not even have a roof over their head and are not fortunate to see, do and experience all that you are doing this evening – all only a distant dream to the many living in tents, sheltering in other people’s homes, or at the mercy and generosity of others.

Think of the many living in poverty and all other unfortunate who will look up into the sky, and see the many sparkles from the fireworks – and just dream and wonder in awe at their plight and in retrospect question the super beings as to why and how they were so unfortunate – thinking that one blast of that fireworks in the sky could provide a decent meal to him or her and even their entire family.

Please marvel as much as you like on Diwali evening, but spare a tear and a thought!

Diwali Sweets

Sachida  Rao, Nausori

Wishing  Happy Diwali to everybody. Enjoy the day but be mindful of the fact that sweets are the agent for most of the Non-Communicable Diseases.

The only way to counter the effect of the extra calories is to burn them. My mother used to prepare tamarind juice mixed with a bit of salt chilly and onion with dhania or mint leaves.

May the spirit of the auspicious occasion reach everyone’s heart. Let’s forget the past and move forward.

Happy Diwali.

Gareth Baber: Fijian 7s Coach

Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, BC, Canada

Congratulations to Gareth Baber, who has been chosen by the Fiji Rugby Union to be our new Fijian 7s coach.

Looks like all our guesses were off the mark and we all believe that the FRU has chosen Gareth Baber because he is the most qualified to help the Fijian 7s team maintain and keep its top place and consistency during the next four years.

We are told that Gareth Baber is a World Rugby Level 4 accredited coach, who needs to give three months notice to his current employer, the Hong Kong Rugby Union and coach the Fijian side to the Wellington Sevens in January 2017.

Baber has a wealth of experience as a 7s player, playing and captaining the Wales National 7s team in the World Rugby Series, two Rugby 7s World Cup tournaments and two Commonwealth Games.

Baber also has an extensive coaching career both for the 7s and 15s codes having being the assistant coach for the Wales 7s team from 2005 to 2006 and the head from 2006 to 2008 prior to taking up different coaching capacities including head coach for the Cardiff Blues.

Now that we know who has been selected to be the Fijian 7s coach, I believe that is only fitting to congratulate and welcome our new coach and thank all the Fijian 7s players who will represent our beloved nation in the next four years, including all the hardworking personnel and sponsor involved with our national 7s team.

God bless and go Fiji go.

New 7s Coach

Ronnie Chang , Nadi

By a very strange twist of fate, Fiji, a rugby-crazy nation, is  respectfully expected to accept the appointment of our newly-appointed national 7s coach in Tier Two Hong Kong 7s Gareth Baber (not Barber as officially announced by FRU over the 6pm TV News  Oct 28).

Public perception is a powerful measure.

Admittedly, and with every tact and diplomacy, without any malice team Hong Kong has never ever been a 7s rugby force to reckon with.

Team Hong Kong, to date, has never ever been a reasonable threat to rugby 7s tier one nations.

The Fiji public at large is now informed, without doubt, that our new 7s coach, on paper, has admirable credentials to take Fiji 7s forward and hope to emulate Tu Rai’s (Ben Ryan) proud, colourful and distinguished achievements which are today common knowledge to the entire rugby 7s world.

We can only hope, pray and support Gareth Baber in his new appointment.

I wish Gareth Baber and our national 7s team every success as you prepare to meet the challenges that awaits us all.

GO FIJI GO!!!!

TOSO VITI TOSO!!!!

Doing Business In Fiji

Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi

The ease of doing business in Fiji have now slipped from rank 73 in 2013 to 97 in 2017.

This is according to the latest revelation from the World Bank.

Can we ask if this is a true reflection of our current status?

But, what are the criterions involved?

Can they give our Government their final assessment report, so we can make amends accordingly?

Realistically this is a wake-up call to all authorities concerned.

It will impact economy negatively if nothing is done about it.

It calls for some realistic and holistic soul searching from all stakeholders.

One of the best ways to do this is to pool together the brains from our commercial business sectors separately from the Northern, Eastern, Western and the Southern divisions.

They are the ones who know their turf best, they will also be in the best position to recommend the best way forward to complement our Government’s investment policies.

It requires a consultative process whereby we all must be inclusively equally held accountable to the progress and improvements on how well we can better improve the way investment businesses are conducted on our nation.

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj