LETTER OF THE WEEK

Painful issue
Kreeth Kumar, Lautoka
We are living in a nation with an abundance of opportunities for the youths like me.
This is all thanks to our current robust and dynamic leaders who are in the good cause to shape our nation into a model to be admired and followed by countries both, large and small.
However, it is painful to read on the other hand, the alarming 49 per cent rape cases around our country in just 18 months released by Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. This is not a very good reflection on our beautiful nation with so much hope and opportunities for our citizens to take advantage of. The question arises here is, why do our own people indulge in activities which tarnishes their reputation bringing shame to families, society and to our beloved nation?
We young people are determined and empowered to mould this nation into a violent-free and peaceful place to live in.
I plead to our elders to become the agents of change and advocate good to curb this crime which is one of the most pressing issues facing our society today.
Mr Kumar will get a Philips Dry Iron from Courts as the letter of the week winner.

Deaths in Hospital
Dr Miriam Sau, New Zealand
It is laughable to blame deaths in hospitals to the Minister. The Health Minister does not have to be a doctor; a health minister needs to be a good manager.
No health ministers attend to people in hospitals personally and when people die, as it happens in hospitals, the world over, blaming Health Ministers is going a bit too far.
If the deaths are directly related to lack of medical equipment, it is another story. But to ask Health Ministers to personally take responsibility of deaths in hospitals, is plain wrong.
In New Zealand it’s the hospital, the medical personnel and the District Health Boards that are held accountable.

Teaching Service
Livi Kalou, New Zealand
Seeing the level of engagement teachers are having with a Senior Minister in the Fijian Government makes me want to go back to Fiji and teach there.
This is simply amazing. In my many years as a school teacher in New Zealand, I have not seen such a level of engagement and input from teachers.
Such consultations may soon put unionists out of business.

Minimum Wage
ET Smith, Davuilevu Housing
A $5 minimum wage rate sounds so pleasing to hear but the reality of this can have a damning effect on small and micro enterprises in the country.
We need to be able to look beyond just paying unskilled workers $5 per hour and look at policies in Fiji holistically.
The tile layer we recently hired was getting paid $16 an hour.
This increase to $5 will have long term dire effects. Think well before you proceed with this Fiji.

Civil Servants
Sake Ratu, New Zealand
Finally Fijian civil servants are being held accountable.
During my recent visit to Fiji, I was rather pleasantly surprised how things have changed. The civil servants we came across were courteous and helpful.
But boy do we have horror stories about civil servants from the early 1990s.
Being on tenure, they took the jobs for granted and treated the public with disdain. If putting them on contracts will get them to do their jobs, so be it.

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj