Media freedom

Tukai Lagonilakeba, Namaka, Nadi

Freedom of speech and media freedom in Fiji is thriving according to our democracy as compared with Middle East countries such as Israel, Syria, Egypt, Mexico, Iran, Iraq and the south-central Asian nation of Afghanistan, where dozens of professional journalists are shot dead, ambushed, murdered, hunted and face daily threats to their immediate families.

These are sovereign modern-day countries and so is the Republic of Fiji.

The climate in those countries is not safe for journalists to carry out their work, which their employers cannot do anything about, which is a totally different scenario to our country’s situation.

It is normal journalism nature that some will report negatively against the government of the day.

However, they feel depending on their political preferences and please do not cross that very thin line.

What are these Opposition government critics with our local Fijian journalists harping about relevant to the above issue?

I have never heard of a journalist being shot or hunted down in Fiji in their line of duty.

Sitiveni Rabuka has promised that if SODELPA forms a government it will repeal the Media Act with the Public Order Amendment Act and will support a Free Media for Fiji, but this was the same bloke who gagged and suppressed international journalists and the Fijian media post his 1987 coups with his media decrees because they were then hostile to his ideals in not reporting facts as he understood them.

Can he be trusted now?

Governments come and go because that is the reality, but there is one thing common after an election and a new government comes into place.

They will do as they see right during their term, but we Fijians do know and are well versed with our various media Acts that are designed to hold journalists accountable and responsible for their reporting ethics.

I believe they must take these media decrees very seriously because there has been unprofessional, irresponsible reporting that requires immediate urgent action to correct and the decrees do rightly serve that purpose and should not be a short-term solution.

The decrees must be seen as a positive long-term deterrent that will rightly guarantee balanced reporting to benefit its target audience.

Youth future

Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi

I respond to your article by Mahendra Chaudry the FLP stalwart (FS 5/5) wherein he discussed the future of youth unemployment and the cost of education.

Certainly, the key to unemployment said John Maynard Keynes in his famous publication General theory of unemployment, interest and money, is that spending is the solution.

But how can we do that when there is inflation through the supply side and companies are worried about markups?

Definitely there is a clear relationship between unemployment and price stability.

We have to educate our youth to come out of the cycle.

They must save more for immediate needs to reduce the inequalities.

Term two

Maria Tavaga, Ba

Yet, another new term has arrived for our children, teachers and most importantly parents and guardians.

Just a reminder to our beloved parents because this is the most and important term for their children since most activities like sporting activities will be carried out.

It will also be a most important one for teachers as well because they will be required to complete all their coverage of work for their students, whether in the rural or urban schools.

A humble plea, to the parents and guardians to step up to their responsibilities and spend more time at home with their children through revision and checking for the completion of their homework.

This will, indeed, assist our children to score better marks in their exams, progress to the next level and have a brighter future.

Being oneself

Hassan Ali, Lautoka

When stressed, worried, anxious and nervous, one has wandered off from one’s natural, normal state.

It is like being not at home.

So we need to come back home.

Then life is full of fun, there is harmony, co-operation, satisfaction, whether at work or on holiday or wherever.

Flood victim

Christopher Jackson Mar, Nasoso, Nadi.

This flood victim and her family have fallen through the bureaucratic cracks and had their suffering worsened when the Water Authority disconnected their water supply!

Her family had to move out of their home and stay with friends. Over the past two weeks she and her husband has been trying to get help from the authorities and the Fiji National Provident Fund, but with no success. Military personnel visited their home.

She has been searching the newspapers daily for dates for Sabeto residents, but no dates have been set. She lives about 700 metres off the Queen’s Road and is a domestic worker.

Her corrugated iron house was subject to flooding twice with more than five feet of water in the house and the family had to evacuate to the roof of the house during the flood.

Most of their household effects were washed away.

She lives on vanua family land.

Her original water supply was in her father’s name and was disconnected. A new meter was installed in her name, but was disconnected and flooding contributed to delayed payment.

The Water Authority has refused to reconnect her water, demanding that she also settle her deceased father’s old water bill!

So cruel that a human rights guaranteed basic right had been withheld by the authorities during such unfortunate flooding devastation.

This family did not go to evacuation centres because she sought refuge in a friend’s house and continues to do so and she cannot move back home because they have no water.

This family has been poorly treated!

How can she get help?

Municipal election

John Brown, Drasa Vitogo, Lautoka

The general election is around the corner.

What happened to the municipal elections that the minister responsible promised in his maiden speech four years ago?

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj