Morbid Un-exposed Doctrine.

Chiefs by name

This is a reply to a letter by Ashwin Lal (F/T 23/1). The letter is cheeky and arrogant and shows disrespect for the GCC.

He says "perhaps members of the GCC will be better off spending time on figuring out their identities". He should know that chiefs are born with the right to be called chiefs and no one can take that away from them. No one.

They are not just chiefs by name. We Fijians look up to the GCC as an institution that portrays order and goodwill even though sometimes things do not always seem to be in that order.

But we must remember that they are humans and not gods. Ashwin should remember that it was the chiefs who ceded Fiji to Great Britain which in turn allowed the indentured laborers from India to come and work in Fiji.

For Fijians, there are two things we value most the vanua and the church. For the vanua, the cornerstones which bind us together are our chiefs.

For the church, Jesus is the central figure.

Apisalome Baleinatauba
Suva

Messr Apisalome Balenatauba is the iconic example of Fijian individuals who are entrenched within the traditional chiefly hierachy, which he tauts without considering the sad truth.
He defends the obsolete institution without ascertaining their worth in this new global village.

G.C.C may be chiefs by name; certainely not Chiefs by nature.

Due to the facts that, the members of Great Council of Chiefs; are unelected, hardly pay taxes because most of them are unemployed and have no intentions of bettering the lives of their people.

Not all Fijians value the Great Council of Chiefs because they have become unapproachable and out-of-touch with reality. The G.C.C lacks a cohesive plan for all Fiji citizens and could not mend the loggerheads between the Fiji Government and Fiji Army Commander. Messr Balenatuba then brings in the concept of church; which technically doesn't recognizes traditional titles.

Mis-information peddled by vitrolic individuals who are grasping at straws by defending the ancient feudal system in Fiji; that has chained people of Fiji to social obscurity. That is the M.U.D which Fiji is stuck in.

Stuck in Fiji Mud will bring checks and balances into Fiji's cultural framework; despite resistance from archaic minds.

Here's another provocative letter to Fiji Times Letter to the Editor.

Right of the child

I would like to thank Mr Tominiko for his comments (FT 22/1) but I get the impression that he thinks I am both an expatriate and a representative of the European Union.

I am neither.

As a concerned Fijian citizen, it grieves me that many parents are finding it difficult to send their children to school.

I agree with him. Fiji is a developing country. The education system is certainly struggling to meet the challenges of the present socio-economic situation. Having taught both in Australia and Fiji for over 20 years, I would disagree, however, that Fiji's education system is unique.

The main concern I raise is that it is farcical that Fiji has signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child when, in fact, there is such little regard for it.

It can be said 'paper will always take ink'; a convention demands conviction.

Possibly, education is just as restrictive today as it was in its colonial past. The difference being, however, is the signing of the Convention.

Children are still being turned away from school because their parents cannot meet the ever increasing cost of education.

According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, education should be accessible and free to all primary aged children.

There are many children whose rights are being violated but no one seems to be doing a thing about it.

Julie Sutherland
Lami

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