Todd walks the talk to protect our environment

Fiji Sun’s ‘Letter of the Week’ winner says his letter titled ‘Uduya Point Cement Factory’ was to create awareness on pollution.

The winner, Patrick Todd, 61, of Lami said the cement dust permeates the very air we all breathe.

“The cement dust causes irritations and is unhealthy to breath,” he said yesterday.

“It is very concerning seeing that despite the number of calls and letters written to the factory and the department of environment, nothing has been done to fix the problem.

“We have been making complaints to the factory and the department of environment for years now but nothing ever was done for the residents.

“We don’t want just talks about what should be done, we want them to get off their comfortable chairs and do something.

“Nothing is being done with the money being raised for these purposes.

“There are plenty of things that could be done and I am trying to raise awareness for it to have something done,” Mr Todd said.

Mr Todd hails from the generation of Captain Frank Williams who had joined the Leonidas, the first ship that came to Fiji carrying indentured labourers from India.

Mr Todd said he was also a former sub-editor of the Fiji Sun in 1999 before he moved to Australia.

Ashna Kumar

QVS discipline

Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa ,  Canada

The media has reported on cases of alleged bullying and assault at Queen Victoria School involving students and teachers.

Some writers have expressed their opinions which kind of portrays Vulinituraga negatively.

As the Verata House captain in 1976, I got to learn that for a house or dormitory to win the end of the year House Masters Trophy, it needs to do well in three main areas – discipline, sports and house cleanliness.

Every student of QVS including teachers belong to one of the four houses, bure or dorms namely Verata, Bau, Rewa and Tovata.

Every week, the vice principal does his house inspection allocating points on the day of inspection while throughout the year, Inter-House Sports competitions are held where points are totalled for every sports.

Every week, students’ names on the punishment list goes on the school notice board and since each ill disciplined student belongs to a house, points are added up which negatively affects the points for house discipline.

During house meetings, each house would stress the importance of discipline and that those who continue to break the rules will be dealt with internally, as his indiscipline affects the house in its strive to win top honors as the best by being awarded the House Masters Trophy.

Maybe it is this internal QVS discipline by members of a particular house that has been reported by parents as alleged bullying and assaults?

At the end of the day, students who are arrogant and ill disciplined at home are straightened out at QVS and will leave the school as a disciplined young man, making their parents and guardians proud.

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj