Mahesa Abeynayake
Head of Quality/
Consultant Marine Engineering
Fiji Maritime Academy

Last week I met a teenager, a son of a close family friend. I have known Jesse since he was a toddler.

Like all kids, Jesse was a playful young fellow, always joking around, mostly seeking attention and very often getting into trouble from his strict parents.

The boy I met last week was a very different from the one I once knew. He was much more mature with goals in life and doesn’t appear to be bearing the wrath of his father anymore.

Since I had not seen him for a few years and while catching up on some old yarns, he told me that one incident that changed his life.

A couple of years ago, still in his destructive phase, Jesse and his friend decided to pull a prank.

While walking home, the boys filled a balloon with water and with all their might flung the water bomb onto a passing car.

As the balloon splattered water on the windscreen momentarily obscuring the driver’s vision, the driver stood on his brakes, stopped the vehicle and saw the culprits run off. So he pursued the culprits in his car until he caught up with Jesse, who had headed straight home.

Questions were asked, phone members were requested, parents called, and all hell broke loose for Jesse and his friend.

For both Jesse and his family, it was fortunate that the driver was an off duty policeman. The consequence of the target having being the local mafia hood or an old lady with a heart problem would have been much dire.

The aftermath was punishment imposed by his parents lasting nine months of garbage duty on the nearby showgrounds and an apologetic phone call to the policeman to update him on the punishment.

Jesse is one lucky boy, and he took that one opportunity to turn over a new leaf.

CADETS AT THE FIJI MARITIME ACADEMY

Some cadets at the Fiji Maritime Academy (FMA) have been troubled over the years.

In fact, this year not less than four significant incidents are etched on my mind as these students are paying for their one mistake.

It didn’t involve a water bomb, but was just as rebellious by not following rules set out for them on the vessel they were assigned.

In separate incidents, two in the vessels they were assigned to and two at the Academy caused disruption to the progress of their career.

The punishments have been dispatched accordingly with stern warnings. The staff of FMA, along with the management of the shipping company, have concurred that everyone, especially young ones, make mistakes in life.

It is unanimous that they should be given a second chance.

The big question remains, like Jesse’s decision, whether these students have decided to turn their lives around.