Caution and Excitement

Floyd Robinson, Nasinu

The inclusion of 16 world-class players in the Fiji Airways 7s team will certainly boost confidence and expectations of local fans, but one should allow room for caution.

On the field, it boils down to the ability to execute basics of the game and discipline.

With strongman Katonibau on board fans can expect reinforced leadership and solid defence. One looks forward to his performance as long as his discipline is up to par.

Meanwhile, boxing fans look for­ward to the pulsating match between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker in Cardiff.

It does not get any more exciting on the rugby paddocks than in Hong Kong and the boxing ring in Wales. Meanwhile, have an enjoyable long weekend and stay safe.

Senior Citizen

Vijay P. Madhavan, Suva

This morning when buying tickets for the 12pm session of BHAAGI 2 I found out that, according to Damodar Cinemas, I am not a senior citizen on public holidays.

My Damodar Cinemas Senior Citi­zen Card, which expires on Septem­ber 11, 2019, has the following Terms & Conditions:

• n Present this card to be eligible for Senior Discount;
• n Valid for 55 years and above;
• n Applicable for movies before 6pm every day;
• n Valid for one ticket per card holder;
• n Not valid for Premium and Other Special event movies;
• n Non-Transferable; and
• n This card expires 24 months from the date of issue.
• There is nothing that says that it is not applicable on public holi­days. Maybe Premila Kumar of the Consumer Council could elaborate on this.

Same-sex marriage

Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Suva

With all due respect to the National Federation Party (NFP) provisional candidate who believes that same-sex marriage should be legalised in Fiji (Fiji Sun 30/3); I believe he has a confused view of the law.

He knows that God the Creator cre­ated man and woman for marriage and procreation and our Fiji Consti­tution forbids same-sex marriage.

To have a personal view or belief that one should be allowed to have and enjoy same-sex relationships and marriages because it is our human right, means that our human rights has the power to overrule or make null and void the law of relationship our Creator bestowed and what our Fiji laws have enacted.

At the same time the candidate believes that child sexual abusers should be thoroughly penalised and perpetrators severely punished.

People who have a Godly fear will stand with the law of God because as our Creator, He knows what is best for us, no matter what human rights activists preach.

It does not make sense for would-be leaders in a Christian-majority nation like Fiji to believe in breaking the law on one hand because of hu­man rights and yet strongly support the law for severe penalties on those who break it.

Hospitals

Satish Nakched, Suva

The latest census revealed that Fiji’s total population stands at 884,887 compared with 837,271 in the 2007 census.

This is an increase of 47,616 or 5.7 per cent.

The average annual population growth is 0.6 per cent, but will prob­ably pick up momentum because of the favourable economic climate and growth, which is enjoyed by the country.

However, it is noted with great concern that our hospitals, especially in the Central Division, have not kept up with the population increase and the patient demand has exceeded infrastructure capacities.

This is very evident in the CWM Hospital day in day out.

The emergency area and other wards cannot cater for the influx of patients and they are treated along the corridors and whatever available space is there.

The ward passages are designed to provide quick and safe access for peo­ple movement, but now has become a temporary admission area and are treated in the full view of the general public.

The beds are lined up unsafely against the fire hose reels and other equipment meant for fire fighting and will act as a hindrance should an emergency situation arise.

This is indeed a sad sight and a great cause of embarrassment and frustration for the family members to see their loved ones piled up along the corridors and I say again the medical staff there are doing a mar­vellous job with whatever resources they have in hand, but I believe the policy makers did not anticipate the growth in the population and failed miserably in forecasting this element in their strategic planning process.

This will escalate further because the Valelevu Heath Centre has reached its full capacity and the new Vunivivi Hill Hospital that was planned to be built in Nausori has been cancelled.

There is definitely an immediate need to have another fully-fledged hospital along the Suva and Nau­sori corridor and the ideal spot is to upgrade the current Valelevu Health Centre and probably relocate the Valelevu Police Station and the Land Transport Authority to another loca­tion to accommodate the extension of medical facilities.

The new extension of the Valelevu Health Centre must be planned so that it should have the capability to serve for another 50 years and beyond without any problems.

There is a dire need to reduce the pressure on CWM Hospital so that the members of the public could be better served.

I believe this should be on the prior­ity list for whoever comes into power after the upcoming elections.

SKY Pacific

Edwin Sandys, Namadi

The TV service by Sky Pacific is pathetic.

I called the advertised phone with a complaint.

A recorded message advised that the number would not be available and if I could please try 123 or 7003123.

I tried 123 and it was answered by a music machine and went on and on.

The second number you call cuts off with no messages or reply.

Is this customer service?

And to think that it is owned by a very big overseas phone company the customer service is the worst in the country.

I was told it was a public holiday, but surely someone should be manning the phones because we pay a lot of money for Sky and they should have an officer on duty 24 hours to service customer complaints.

The service in Digicel and Sky Pa­cific needs upgrading.

Please can someone address this issue?