The issue of Fiji water supply has set off an internal bickering in the newly elected Government of Fiji. This is not the time for finger pointing by the new Minister of Utilities Rob Irwin (General).
Irwins claim
I refer to your article (FT 4/6) where the Minister for Public Utilities and Infrastructure, Robin Irwin, blames Mr Chaudhry for our water woes and would like to ask him if there was an amendment to the Constitution when Mr Chaudhry changed the water reform process?
If not, then why has it been so difficult to address these issuessince it is Mr Laisenia Qarase who has been in power for the last six years and not Mr Chaudhry.
Mr Chaudhry was only in power for a year and before that the SVT for 11 years.
So according to Mr Irwins logic, Mr Chaudhry's one year is to blame for all our water woes in the 17 years of Fijian rule since our world famous 1987 coup.
I would advise Mr Irwin to refrain from taking part in the blame game, that is a Fijian speciality.
We cannot be beatenat it. Please restrict yourself to working hard to attracting new investments into the country and getting the infrastructure right so no one will have any basis of making the kind of comments you are now making after you have vacated your office.
Modest in victory and respectful to those defeated is a virtue we can all do well with. Finally any attempt by Mr Irwin to ingratiate himself to Fijians by trampling all-over Mr Chaudhry, who did remarkably well in the one year he held the reins, compared to those who had 11 before him and six afterwards will be construed by Fijiansas a sign of weakness on his part.
And believe me, he wouldnt want that.
Mareko Vuli
Sydney
Australia
Water waste
Well our new Infrastructure Minister says that hes going to concentrate on water thats great!
In Savusavu, where he now lives, he is well acquainted (aqua pardon the pun) with water via the hot springs, but perhaps once hes settled in could he examine the bubbling brook that I keep rambling on about, on the footpath from Tuisowaqa Road to Mead Road.
It flows even when Namadi has no water and Id place a bet that it is chlorinated and, at 11 million litres in the last couple of years, he could perhaps ascertain how much money has gone down the drain?
But please Mr Minister (good title for a movie), when if you decide to pay a visit to this spring place come in a G registered car, for PWD transport proliferates in private vehicles (not hire plates) being utilised on government business another scam?
Alastair Ward
Suva
A sad reflection on his character and perhaps rude awakening on the enormity of the job in fixing the water problem in Fiji; a predictable effect of non-maintainence of demand side pipe network.
The water problem in Fiji is escalating by affecting business enterprises. Many have thought that the elections would change the situation overnight. That is the hard pill to swallow in a merging democracy like Fiji; where water is exported world wide; yet the domestic market is struggling with another day of hell.
Now the position of Parliamentry speaker has been finalized, perhaps some concrete solutions can be fast tracked to rectify the litany of woes currently facing the nation of Fiji.
The issue of state funding of local elections is a new idea worth considering. A pressing concern for the new Prime Minister, who has now an inflated cabinent of 34. An astronomical figure, considering the size of the country of Fiji and the trade imbalance, which the Reserve Bank of Fiji or the Government has failed to produce any short term plans, to solve the drastic deficit.
Vakaivosavosa has an interesting take on the " New Zealand Defense White Paper" plan to downsize the Fiji Military. An convenient assault by the ANZAC nations to scuttle Fiji Army's reputation and demand in global peace keeping. Undoubtedly a growing industry in todays' geo-politics.
Education Ministry of Fiji has now issued a stern cell phone use policy- No use that is in all classrooms in Fiji. The only time that rule is ignored, when the cell phone is used to convey the news of Fiji Rugby Team's exploits on the field.
Fiji's victory in the IRB 7s circuit infuses a new kind of unity, that no other politician or chief in Fiji could ever ecclipse.
Since Vodaphone Fiji has unravelled their product: Black Berry- SiFM belives it is prudent for the Ministry of Education to issue a Black Berry policy too.
SiFM leaves the readers with another provocative letter from Fiji Times "Letters to the Editor".
The Gibber
Filomena Koroilaweduas The real hypocrite (FT 03/06) cannot go unanswered. Though I live in a foreign country as thousands of Fijians do, I am one of those who contributes to the millions of dollars to my Fiji through remittance and to some degree these hard earned dollars end up in the Methodist Church coffers.
Therefore, Ms Koroilawedua, in her own words, should think twice before embarking on a tedious gibberish trip and being the hypocrites leech.
My argument, which obviously Ms Koroilawedua failed to comprehend perhaps because of her lack of grey matter, was against those prelates and their nonsensical tirades on the politics of the nation.
Dont they have anything better to do instead of their daily contributions in the media?
Rather than telling the people who to vote for and the Government of the day how to run the country these prelates should be spreading the Good News.
Instead of marching through the towns and cities against gays, movies (God is the sole judge) and demanding a place in the censorship board they should be marching to the prisons, hospitals, mental asylums, slums, and visiting our poor street kids, counselling them and giving hope to the flock.
Why arent the other Christian denominations giving daily speeches in the media and parading up and down the streets with placards? Because they are tending to their flock like true shepherds silently doing Gods Will.
God Bless those true shepherds and my Fiji!
Sisilia Johnson
New South Wales
Australia
Club Em Designs
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