Carpooling

Harish Chandra,

Managing director, Regent Taxis Limited

I have well read the article in yesterday’s Fiji Sun and wish to contribute some points on this matter. It is interesting to note that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Ministry of Transport is talking about carpooling and the issues affecting the traffic flow in major cities and towns, mainly between the Suva to Nausori corridor.

Having attended the few consultation meetings with the Ministry of Transport, I feel it is worth considering a few other options without having to spend money on expanding infrastructure. As per information revealed by the data collected by the LTA and the observing the traffic flow, it is common to note that the traffic congestion occurs during school days. If you correctly observe the traffic flow during school holidays it is clearly apparent that there is less traffic congestion.

So I would suggest that Government together with all stake holders look at changing the school opening and closing time as is the practice in many overseas countries.

Currently all the Government offices and the businesses start working hours at 8am and the schools start between 8am and 8.30am. So if the school hours are shifted to start at 09.15am and finish at 4.15pm than there will be a shift in traffic that will ease off congestion to a major extent.

What happens now is that the working people drive to work and other family members use another vehicle to transport school children. Many families are carpooling to transport the school children, so the shift in time of school opening hours will see a change in time for bus services and the cars transporting school children will be distributed between 8am and 9.15am. This will allow a free flow of traffic.

It is estimated that 40 per cent of morning traffic congestion from the Nausori to Suva corridor is related to parents driving children to school, and despite the availability of alternates, drop-off lines are only getting longer.

During the morning rush hour and afternoon school finishing times we find roads outside schools jammed with parents trying to drop off or pick up their children.

In an effort to address cars carrying school children, overcrowded buses and lengthy bus rides (75 minutes on average) schools in traffic congested areas could implement staggered start times from the third term of school this year on a trial basis.

It will clearly show improvements in traffic flow and I am sure both the school teachers and students will agree to this concept. While it may have some consequences on some parents dropping off their children earlier I am sure school management can work out alternatives to supervise children coming to schools or leaving in the afternoon.

From a health point of view for students “Among the possible public health interventions for increasing sufficient sleep among adolescents, delaying school start times has the potential for the greatest population impact by changing the environmental context for students in entire school districts that are affected by traffic congestion.”

Well this is a food for thought for all stakeholders and worth giving it a go without much cost to the Government and tax payers in Fiji.

Kava!

Herleen Emily Kumar,

Nadi

With the inducing number of people drinking kava, not only with the locals but tourists as well, soon kava can become our national icon. Well, every traditional ceremony that takes place in the tourism industry involves kava. Which can be a good sign as well.

We have seen many industries trying to export Kava (in many forms) to overseas countries which shows that it is becoming popular. It can bring a lot of profit to our country and contributing towards the GDP. But, the history of kava states that kava was first introduced to the Polynesian islands then to the Melanesians including Fiji.

But today, when we try to formulate as to which island drinks kava the most, its Fiji. If we try to produce more kava locally, we surely can make a lot of profit. Not only it is a form of binding people to sit around the tanoa for a talanoa, but to generate income as well.

Free boxing

Sukha Singh,

Labasa

I would like to thank FBC TV for bringing live the Josuha/Kilshcho heavyweight fight and lately the Kel Brooks/Spenser fight.

Just like to know from boxing experts if it was a wise decision for Kel Brooks to jump in the ring only nine months after injuring or fracturing his right eye socket. In this latest fight he again injured his left eye socket.

World No Tobacco Day

Neelz Singh,

Lami

You don’t have to be genius to figure out that smoking kills.

Each year, the global tobacco epidemic kills an estimated six million persons worldwide, including 600,000 who die from second-hand smoke exposure.

World No Tobacco Day, sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and observed on May 31 each year, highlights the health risks associated with tobacco use and encourages effective actions to reduce tobacco consumption.

If the current trends continue, it is estimated that by 2030 tobacco use will result in approximately eight million deaths worldwide annually; an estimated 80 per cent of these preventable deaths will occur in low and middle-income countries.

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