IDC

Sukha Singh, Labasa

Could Fiji Football Association tell us which is the highest ranking tournament out of its four tournaments?

I would also like to know why they don’t care about the weekly club competitions?

I would also like to know when you buy players from other districts and win tour­naments; how does it improve soccer in that particular district?

What happened to the constitution which states you cannot play for a district unless you have played in the district’s club competition?

Anyway your competitions are very well organised.

Rainy IDC?

Spencer Robinson, Suva

It seems that the 2018 Courts IDC will embrace the usual capital weather – rainy and wet.

Will this mean advantage for some teams to make upsets to current and for­mer champions? Whatever one’s views are, rain or sunshine, may this tourna­ment be a successful and enjoyable one for players and spectators alike.

Rugby Questions

Floyd Robinson, Nasinu

The appointment of another former Natabua High School scholar as coach for our national women’s rugby team is interesting.

Is there something national rugby deci­sion makers fancy about former Natabua High School scholars and coaching posi­tion of our women’s rugby teams.

Whatever one’s views, Ro Alivereti Do­viverata may introduce new training and patterns of playing.

One appreciates the efforts of Iliesa Tanivula, but some serious questions need to be raised in comparing the sup­port received by our national men and women’s sides.

Will our national woman’s team have a trainer like the men?

Will they sign contracts like the men’s team?

Will our women receive similar levels of financial support?

Whatever one’s views, someone needs to take the risk in trying to mobilize fund­ing and support for our women’s side if we are to expect improvement in their overall performance.

Fijian 15 rugby

Epeli Rabua, Suva

Why is it that Fiji 15s Rugby is following the typical style of the boring Wallabies?

The Flying Fijians have never taken flight for the last 10 years or so and I think that the name should be given to the Fijian Drua team.

It seems that we continue to choose over­weight and overaged players who play their rugby in Europe and who seem to be

on or over their used-by-date for playing 15s rugby.

And they continue to play boring for­ward-play rugby which in turn

reduces their concentration so much that they slog themselves around the rug­by pitch, instead of flying in it!

What a breath of fresh air the Flying Fi­jian Drua, brings to 15s rugby.

They epitomize pure Fijian talent, whereby caution is thrown to the wind and the game is opened up that who dares, wins!

That their current form and record is a testament to the flying Fijian rugby of old, is something to be nurtured.

It’s a given that high risk rugby will bring its fair share of penalties, however, if the end result is more wins than losses, then that’s the way all Fijian 15s rugby should be played. Even the Under-18 15s team, currently playing in New Zealand are playing in the same vein and the re­sult is the same!

The Fijian 15s coach, would do well to trial the Drua against the overseas 15s ruggers and chose only the best players for the

Northern Hemisphere tour in Novem­ber.

And the current Drua coach, should be on the tour also to bring back the missing x-factor in the current Fijian 15s team – the flying 14 backs and 1 fullback rugby team of old!

It’s either that or we will never beat Aus­tralia with their beatable coach, Cheika, at the helm at next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Walkway hazard

Satish Nakched, Suva

Nasinu is the most populous municipal­ity in Fiji, having overtaken that of Suva and is one of Fiji’s fastest-growing towns.

Its land area is the largest of any munic­ipal area in Fiji, and more than twice that of Suva. It is a major residential hub in Fiji, housing a large majority of the work force in Nasinu itself and in Suva.

The Nasinu area, especially around the Valelevu business district has grown enormously and now provides all the amenities such as offices, ATM banks, court house and the other important ser­vices.

Being one of the most populous sub­urbs, people come to the town centre to go about doing their business.

And because of the four large super­markets within close proximity of each other the area is always busy during the weekends.

The Valelevu area has one of the larg­est secondary schools and a few primary schools as well.

Based on the population growth it is vi­tal that the infrastructure progresses on par and the improvements are an equal footing that will provide safety and com­fort to the residents and rate payers.

However, it has been noted for many years that a pedestrian safety hazard has been ignored by the council.

It has caused many falls and trips, espe­cially during the adverse weather condi­tions. There is also a passage between the Post Office and the Atlas Trading build­ings that leads to the market, and the Town Council Office which is full of haz­ards because of the unsealed undulating surface. The area does not have adequate lighting and can result in people falling.

The continuity of this passage from the concrete footpath is just by merely put­ting together a few planks of timber over a two feet depth drain without any hand­rails.

The children, senior citizens and people with mobility problems are vulnerable to such risk.

The Nasinu Town Council has an obli­gation to ensure the township is safe and without risk to the health of any person.

It must implement best safety practice in the infrastructure development.

Quite interesting that during the Hibis­cus Festival two cement crossing to the carnival grounds were constructed over­night, but this hazardous passage has ex­isted since donkeys’ ears.

It is heavily used by the people on foot but has been ignored for so long.

The council needs to move away from the reactive to proactive approach as the risk of injuries is highly likely and the hazards mentioned must be eliminated without delay.

The detriment caused may lead to liabil­ity issues.

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj