Road accident

Varitema Tuvuki , Suva

I would like to draw the attention of concerned authorities to road accidents that are increasing day by day.

Speaking on 6pm Fiji One News Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro highlighted the accident that happened at Nadi bus stand on  1 March, 2018.

“It is alleged the driver lost control of the bus due to a brake failure,” she said.

I urge the bus company and the concerned authorities to upgrade their standard. There are just far too many bus-related mechanical problems leading to accidents on our roads.

It is a ticking time-bomb threatening many innocent lives.

Can I ask bus owners, bus drivers and mechanics to be vigilant in ensuring vehicles are safe?

It is high time authorities took a serious view of the lapses on the part of the drivers.

This can be done only by levying heavy fines or forfeiture of their licences.

Licences, too, should be checked frequently.

It is disappointing that despite several efforts and campaigns to improve road safety awareness, accidents continue to occur.

Pretty contestants

Sukha Singh, Labasa

I thank SODELPA and the National Federation Party for picking the prettiest and maybe the smartest ladies to contest the 2018 elections.

FijiFirst has also got two pretty ladies as ministers and I hope they can get some more pretty ladies in their line-up.

Let’s make this election a Hibiscus Festival .

NFP Line-up

Amenatave Yaconisau, Suva.

Despite the powerful line-up of the National Federation Party (Fiji Sun March 3), it should be reminded of its former leader’s suggestion about the chiefly system. 

Also that one of its management is a former military officer involved in the coup and was a right hand man.

Nobody likes this!

Faith to ask

Dharmendra Kumar, Suva.

Our society glorifies those who do it on their own without any help. But God honours and rewards those who live in dependence on his strength and power and claim his promises.

We will certainly fail when the moment of challenge comes when we do not put our petition to God.

God is not a random feeling but rather it’s a conscious awareness of his presence when we spend time talking to him in prayer.

Unfortunately it seems to be the last resort rather than our first response when we face obstacles in life.

There is no restriction on God’s ability to meet and supply our needs yet too often we fail to receive because we lack the faith to ask.

No matter the trouble we face there is comfort for those who pour out their hearts to God.

Clearing rubbish

Taitusi Sokiveta, USA

The  whole  community can get  involved  instead  of  depending  on  the  US Coast  Guard or  other  foreigners coming  into  the  country  to  clean  up  our  own  mess.

We can all work together and clean our own environment ourselves on our days off.

For  example,  the coastal area around the old Royal New  Zealand Air Force Sunderland base in Laucala  is  full  of  ocean  debris and trash.   

University  of  the  South  Pacific  students  and  all  the  professors can gather on a  Saturday  and pick  up  all  the  trash on their beachfront  area. 

I remember as a kid when the Royal New Zealand Air Force was based in Laucala Bay.  That whole area was very clean. 

And all the buildings were beautifully painted.

What you can do is put your phone in your pocket and start picking up the trash. 

And get the surrounding community to clean up. And afterwards you can take pictures and say: This is what beautiful Fiji looks like.

In 2015 while visiting Fiji, I was on the bus from Suva to Nausori then to Bau Landing. It was late in the afternoon and the school kids were just coming out of schools. 

The number of kids was overwhelming.  It was like watching a cattle stampede out of a Texas ranch in South West Texas.

Everywhere the bus stopped there were crowds of kids. 

Can you imagine if you gather all these kids on a Saturday and get them to pick up all the trash in Suva.

In a week or two Suva will be the cleanest city in the whole world.   

I remember when I was young my late father would gather all the young men on Bau Island.

Instead of playing rugby on the rara (village green) they would clean up all of  Bau Island over two to three days.   

Picking up all the trash around the whole Island then they would weed Delanikoro and all the areas around that hill.

Following that, there would be no mosquitoes and flies on Bau Island.   

The drains were always free of trash and the villagers always picked up dead, dried leaves every morning and burn them. 

Bau Island in those days was like a botanical garden.   

In Florida, if you drive on their highways and freeways you will notice people with long orange jump suits picking trash.

They are prison inmates picking up trash.   

The best way to clean up our trash is for the whole community to be involved.

And, do it from the heart, and not expect to be paid for it.

Clean-up campaigns on your days off and weekend for students  – this is the only way we can keep our cities, towns and neighbourhood free of piled-up trash and dumping grounds for trash and overfilled dumpsters. 

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj