ATS saga

Sameer Kasim, Vancouver, Canada

Unlike government departments anywhere generally marked by sloth and red-tape, the ATS is a prestigious company, which fosters professionalism and efficiency in the workplace. A job there is much sought after.

Indeed, those fortunate enough to work for the ATS usually make it after a fairly rigorous selection process and may have reason to gloat about their employer.

A job there unless posted otherwise, offers security and so long as the worker stays true to his calling and not does anything stupid (for instance, casually walk away from his job to attend a union meeting of all things), that job is his for life. Needless to say once in, he can forge a rewarding and fulfilling career path to his retirement.

To see large numbers of able-bodied men sitting by the roadside and taking kava when they could have been more productive at work is sad. Their union in the first place goaded them to walk off their jobs for a meeting mindful of its ramifications.

No company worth its salt can tolerate dereliction of duty by such a large number of workers. Indeed, no government can cave-in to outrageous demands to drop executive staff as a condition to return to work as it would open up a Pandora’s box of similar demands elsewhere.

The misguided and striking workers require a generational shift in attitude in that the union should not be mistakenly seen as the final bulwark of job security: the job is there because one is required and not that the union will protect me with job security come what may!

If other carriers follow the lead of Korean Airlines for in-flight catering services at least, then Fiji Airways does not have enough planes to provide catering to in which case there will be more than a few jobs on the line at a bloated ATS.

What will Crumlin, Sheldon and Felix do about that? Fish at the Sugar and General workers, guild then?

Militant unionism of the kind introduced by the successive Chaudhry-led NFU boycotts in the post-coup years gave a sense of direction and purpose to many in the beleaguered nation unused to living under jackboots or exclusion and ultra-nationalism.

Since then, the democratic polity has sufficiently matured with more people becoming aware. It follows then that the over-bearing cloak of unionism must also be confined to the pages of history as it does come in the way of productivity and economic development.

Striking workers were asked to realise the folly of abandoning their workstations in writing and return to work in the first few days itself with no further disciplinary measures to follow.

Those who abandoned their workstations in a live area shot themselves in the foot. I would jump at the generous offer.

Please keep in mind union fat-cats do not create jobs, except for themselves; governments do. Industry does.

Bring back road humps at Mead Road

Peni Volavola, Suva

Whilst expressing my appreciation and gratitude for the upgrading works which Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) had recently carried out on Lower Mead Road, this letter, however serves to seek kind consideration if the authority could possibly reinstate the road humps which have now been removed during the said upgrading works.

I have been a resident of Mead Road, more precisely on the above address, since the early 50s when our house was constructed and we subsequently moved in for occupation in 1953.  I am now 71 years old.

The stretch of Mead Road, which I am referring to, and which runs past our house, had been, for a long time, a cause of major worries because of the reckless nature in which drivers of motor vehicles would, more often than not, be tempted to accelerate their travel speed because of the downward gradient of the road. 

This is particularly true for drivers travelling downhill as they approached St Agnes Primary school, not far from where I live.

In 2003 there were several near-misses and three separate horrific accidents, the second of which resulted in the death of a young boy. 

My house is situated about 40 metres from the accident site and it is difficult to erase the memories of this tragic event. 

Following the third accident, I approached the Suva City Council if they could possibly construct some road humps, which they promptly did. 

One such road hump was constructed at the site of the fatal accident, another was near the main gate to the St Agnes Primary School, and the third was a few metres further, downhill from the school.

I wish to inform that following the construction of the three road humps in 2003, there have been no more accidents or near-misses along this stretch of road, although we would hear motor vehicles screeching when drivers would suddenly realise the presence of these deterrents and suddenly apply their brakes.

Now with the disappearance of the road humps, the very noticeable acceleration of motor vehicles have begun again, and I pray that there would be no accidents along this stretch of road as a result of the removal of the road humps, God forbid, of course.

With the opening of the 2018 School Year only a little over two weeks from now, I pray that necessary steps would be put in place by the Fiji Roads Authority, as proactive measures in ensuring road accidents are altogether avoided.

May I also wish the CEO and the FRA a 2018 full of promise.

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj