Righting the wrongs
Timoci Gaunavinaka, Nausori
Sitiveni Rabuka, in reply to Nemani Delaibatiki’s comments (Fiji Sun 18/5). stated that there was no consultation done when the name “Fijian” was used as a common name, neither was there any consultation when the Great Council of Chiefs was removed.
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He claimed that should have been done in accordance with international practice.
That would be true if we iTaukei owned the name “Fijian” or have patented it. He disregarded the true and simple international norm that all citizens of Australia today are called Australians, New Zealand, New Zealanders, New Caledonia, New Caledonians, Britain, British, Germany, Germans, South Africa, South Africans and etc.
How then can “Fijians” for all Fiji citizens breach international norms?
May I ask Rabuka if he did any nationwide consultations before carrying out his two coups of 1987 that crippled our economy and bankrupted our national bank of which we tax payers are still paying the price for today?
Did he do any nationwide consultation when he declared Fiji a Republic?
Did he do any consultation when he installed the racist 1990 constitution that ensured his SVT party’s first election victory?
All these actions Rabuka took made a huge impact on people’s lives.
Ask the shopkeepers whose shops were looted or burnt.
Ask Bavadra’s spokesman Richard Naidu, who ran for his life when some men chased him into the now Holiday Inn trying to club him and roast him in a lovo pit in front of Government Buildings for all to see.
Ask the Indo-Fijians who were bashed up all around the country just because of their race.
Ask the Indo-Fijian students who were denied scholarships despite their high marks just because of their ethnicity.
This is why Bainimarama had to take a hard stance and non-consultation approach to right the Rabuka wrongs that were spreading its roots and bring us back to the progressive Fiji we live in today.
Medical experts say that when a person gets too old, he or she may start to forget simple things and easily get confused.
Is the SODELPA leader fast advancing towards this stage?
All iTaukei land safe
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Suva
The Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of iTaukeiAffairs, Josefa Toganivalu, assured delegates at the Bua Provincial Meeting at Naulumatua House, Nabouwalu that all land belonging to the iTaukei is safe (FS 16/5).
I am hoping and praying that all political parties and those who oppose our current Government will read this report and stop using fear tactics and lies that our current Government is trying to take away iTaukei land.
With the General Election 2018 coming up, I believe that other permanent secretaries and not the PM, AG or ministers holding ministerial portfolios, are to come out and assure the iTaukei that their other resources are also safe.
With all these assurances of the safety of what the iTaukei hold dear and the excellent performance and service delivery of our current FijiFirst Government, I believe another landslide victory is coming up!
To forgive and forget
Dharmendra Kumar, Suva
The Fiji coups of 1987 led by the then lieutenant colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, who overthrew the government of Fijian prime minister the late Timoci Bavadra, is something that I will never be able to forget.
As a 21-year-old then, I saw first-hand from the 6th floor of Ganilau house the horrors of a military coup.
Later Mr. Rabuka said he was sorry for what he did in 1987 and sought forgiveness.
We’ve all heard it a thousand times, “you need to forgive and forget”.
Forgive and forget, the words roll off our tongues with ease, but if we are honest they don’t roll out of our hearts with ease.
Forgiveness is a challenge and forgetting is downright impossible.
We need to forgive because it’s a command from God.
Forgiveness is a big word. It’s huge, even gigantic, but it is something that takes years to do.
It takes grace from God to forgive.
God tells his people to forgive one another.
He loves us too much to want us to go down the destructive road of unforgiveness.
However, I don’t believe you have to forget the wrong done to you. You can’t do it even if you tried, but rather you need to use the incident as a learning tool.
I believe that those seeking forgiveness must be genuine.
The evidence of repentance presented must express deep humility. Repentance begins by coming to our senses and admitting that I have done wrong and when we do that we have God’s grace.
True repentance is a heart matter and between you and God.
Boost for landowners
Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi
Section 30 of the Constitution says that “all minerals in or under the land belongs to the State”.
The analysis has the audacity to add that the fair share under 30 (2) is to be further shared 80/20.
So much for non-selling of iTaukei land!
There are many ways to skin a cat, they say.
What a farçe if you promote foreign interests and the State.
Classic standards
Zane Young, Lautoka
The bus company that services the Sukanaivalu Road and Tomuka route has a slogan on the rear windscreen of almost every bus that reads Choose Classic 2 B Classic!
Wouldn’t it be nice if some of your buses are up to Classic standards!!
Oh and by the way some of your drivers have very poor people skills!!
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj
