X- Factor leadership

Dharmendra Kumar, Suva

We as Fijians are very, very pleased and proud to see the accomplishments of our Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in the COP23 meeting in Germany.

A small nation leading COP23 the ‘Bula Way’ and using the ‘Talanoa Spirit’.

Mr Bainimarama is an inspirational leader who prioritises the right thing at the right time.

The Prime Minister’s ability to sit with heads of states and articulate the vision for talanoa on the impacts of climate change and his powerful foreign policies is indeed inspiring.

Mr Bainimarama has the X- factor and knows that leading is about action and not about position.

Don’t take Earth for granted

Wise Muavono, Lautoka

The uninformed, the misinformed and the uncaring who loot Earth’s resources to build excessive wealth should, at some point, realise that man is no match for Earth’s might and fury when her health is compromised by greedy exploitation.

People take, take, take and, in return, Earth receives polluted land, polluted water and polluted air, simply because a blind eye is turned and looming consequences get minimal attention. Blind eyes and deaf ears, thanks to greed mania, are crippling efforts to manage her health.

If Earth were personified, she would be the one person who affects every man, woman and child, every second, every hour of every day.

We would be nothing, have nothing and unable to do anything with her resources. All tangible needs are supplied by her generosity.

The uninformed, the misinformed and the uncaring should take a moment to look around and discern that something as small as a pea or as big as the tallest skyscraper would not be in existence without Earth’s bounty.

We would not exist without her bounty. So-called self-made men and women should look in a mirror, look hard and long, recall what it took to get you where you are today.

At every turn, you needed to rely on Earth’s provisions to achieve a pathway to success. All who devalue Earth’s contributions are jeopardising our future and adding to Earth’s decline. Choosing wealth over health will be our downfall.

Limited resources and a burgeoning world population do not make for peaceful times ahead when industrialised nations will scramble (war escalation) for their share of dwindling resources.

Global sustainability practices need to be accepted as a way of life, for it is life that is at stake, Earth’s as well as ours.

For certain, we need planet Earth far more than she needs us. Figuratively speaking, we are biting the hand that feeds us.

Our right to vote

Timoci Gaunavinaka,  Nausori

I find it to be totally ignorant, arrogant and ridiculous for some people to be criticising the overseas dispatch of ballot papers for the 2018 General Election.

They claim that it infringes on the rights of local voters because people living offshore should have no say on the affairs of our country.

There are more than 3000 Fijians in the British Army alone and the bulk of them are either registered or entitled to be registered in the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB) making them landowners in this country. They remit thousands of dollars to Fiji every year.

We have another close to a thousand Fijians serving in the Middle East.

We have Fijian citizens who are security officers, rugby players, teachers, nurses, pilots, Fiji Embassy and Consulate employees, advisors, consultants, church workers and etc. who reside offshore.

For over two years I worked with other Fijians at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in Noumea, New Caledonia, serving Fiji and other Pacific Island countries. We are all registered in the VKB and we still remit the bulk of our pay home.

So who are these people to question our right to vote?

There are many Fijians who currently live offshore but still hold assets here. Some left because of the events of 1987 and who can blame them for that?

Some leave for various reasons but they still own assets in Fiji. Some still have their family members living here and are remitting money regularly to them.

When I saw on TV that there were more Fijian flags than Canadian flags flying at the Vancouver Sevens a couple of years ago, I was almost brought to tears. It simply shows that you can take them out of Fiji, but you cannot take Fiji out of them.

Instead of ‘witch-hunting’ and greedily scrutinising all our little, tiny and insignificant differences, and try to ‘blow a storm in a tea cup’ on allegiances and voting rights, how about we all try to work together with our people offshore to find ways and means to build this nation to greater heights?

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj