Record high pollution

Culture shock in Canberra

Traveling overseas for the first time as a young undergraduate at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) was both exciting and nerve-racking. Getting selected to attend the 2023 ANU-UPNG Partnership Summer School Program at the Australian National University (ANU) Crawford School of Public Policy in Canberra, Australia, exceeded my expectations. While the program provided...

Letters to the Editor | Thursday, June 8, 2023

India railway accident THE railway accident in Odisha is shocking, horrible and woeful. It is believed to be the worst rail accident in India in nearly three decades that leaves 288 people dead and over 1100 injured (still counting). More bodies are yet to be recovered as rescuers try frantically to reach them. It is...

Editorial comment | A change in mind-set

The past three days have been great for relationships between the media and the Fiji Police Force. At the conclusion of a three-day workshop in Suva this week, work, we learn, is now starting, to decentralise police responses to the media. It’s all in an effort to boost accountability and transparency. It ushers in a...

The Drua mania | Ancient art meets modern rugby

From an ancient vessel to a modern rugby team—now the name Drua is synonymous with the sporting pride of Fiji as a nation. The team has smashed, pulverized, outrun and scored their way to the quarterfinals of the Super Rugby Pacific and the crazy euphoria this has produced has even eclipsed the significance of our...

Letters to the Editor | Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Fantastic home support SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua skipper Meli Derenalagi alluded to the faith in God and the support of fans as two critical reasons for the team making it into the historic top eight. Last weekend, despite the bad weather compelled by rain and wind, brave Drua fans made their way into HFC Bank...

Editorial comment | When kids pick up after adults

Laisenia Ratu is right when he says adults should be ashamed for having kids come out and pick up after them. Well, many adults that is! That is the way a lot of people will think given the extent of littering happening around us Mr Ratu, an International School Suva (ISS) oceans and literacy division...

True leadership is key to transformation

“Flight of the Buffalo” was a groundbreaking concept presented to employees of $US90 billion ($F203.9b) colossus AT&T in the ’90s. CEO Jerry Stead travelled the globe including Sydney where he delivered the theme “Flight of the Buffalo — Soaring to Excellence and Learning to Let Employees Lead”. We implemented locally in a comparatively small enterprise...

American Idol winner season 21

Iam Tongi, the 18-year-old sensation whose voice has captivated the world after winning American Idol by a landslide, becoming the first Pacific Islander to win the popular award. His performance of James Blunt’s Monsters brought tears to the eyes of celebrity judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, and is the most viewed American Idol video...

Letters to the Editor | Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Death by sugar THAT’S what diabetes translates to in iTaukei: “death by sugar”. On page 42 of The Fiji Times (3/6/23), there was a serious article titled “Are we failing our children”. On the facing page was a full-page colourful advertisement for a brand of ice-cream on a stick. This particular ice-cream was covered in...

Editorial comment | Promising tourism scenario

It is good to know that the tourism sector continues to go from strength to strength with the visitor arrivals tracking just above the 2019 pace. And that’s 12 months ahead of schedule, says Tourism Fiji chief executive Brent Hill. This, he said, had led the Reserve Bank of Fiji to upgrade their growth targets...

Marine life recovery | Pacific conservation Global Expedition will allow Pacific people to tell their stories

National Geographic’s Pristine Seas initiative has launched The Global Expedition to support conservation efforts in the remote tropical Pacific. The Pristine Seas team, consisting of scientists and filmmakers, will spend five years on the specially outfitted vessel, the E/V Argo, collaborating with governments, communities and local marine scientists. Since 2008, the group has conducted 38...

Letters to the Editor | Monday, June 5, 2023

The man behind the scenes IF a picture could paint a thousands words – amidst the celebration and shouts of joy after the Fijian Drua emphatic win over the Reds – one man sat in the middle of the field and returned the glory to He, the giver of all strength. The man the living...

Editorial comment | The threat to the environment

In a statement titled ‘A ticking bomb’ Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has warned that we are being inundated by a surging wave of extremely dangerous plastic pollution that continues to gather strength. In his message for World Environment Day today, Mr Rabuka said it adds to other environmental woes endangering our very existence in the...

Letters to the Editor | Sunday, June 4, 2023

Farewell Elenoa Kunatuba! Elenoa Kunatuba, who played a huge role in the growth of women’s rugby in Fiji, was laid to rest this week. She was given a fitting farewell. When women’s rugby started to grow in Fiji two names became prominent — Elenoa Kunatuba and Vela Naucukidi. I followed their contributions closely. Kunatuba gave...

Editorial comment | Simply the best!

What a beauty that was! What a game! And the Queensland Reds would have been reminded very early on that they were in for the game of their lives, and a taste of Fijian passion. The fans lapped up the moment, and lived a dream on a great day for rugby. The skies had opened...

Launch of Vibe Collection | Unveiling the exclusive RAAVI

Invited dignitaries, glitterati and the elite corporate exuded the French Riviera vibe against the enchanting backdrop of Novotel Suva Lami Bay. Twilight silhouettes, stunning colour palettes and a sterling runway performance by the Mata Dance Fiji set the perfect scene for the launch of RAAVI: Where lifestyle meets luxury with a socio eco-conscious vision. “RAAVI”...

Girmit, division and Ratu Sukuna

In our last article I took us through the struggles of the Girmitiya, the Indian and the Indo-Fijian in attempting to attain political recognition and respect over the 144 years of his/her existence in this their adopted country – Fiji. What was highlighted is that the whole struggle was blighted by divisions among the Girmitiya...

Drua’s defining moment

Let’s take a look into the past games and replay all the memories of when the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua started its journey in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition. A combination of two modes of sea transport from the olden days when our ancestors use the waqa vakaviti also known as the...

Are we failing our children

When children at upper-primary school level do not to know the meaning of “refugee”, we have a problem on our hands. This is a clear reflection of an education system failing our children. According to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, there are over 32.5 million refugees. Whether children in Fijian schools could identify just one...

Quest for identity | ‘Fiji-Indians are a Pacific people’

The advocacy for Fiji Indians for their correct identity and proper treatment by New Zealand Government in general and Ministry of Pacific People in particular was evident in an overflowing Malaeola Community Centre on May 20, 2023, with over 1500 people. This Mangere, South Auckland venue was the celebration of 144th Anniversary of Fiji Girmit...

Ratu Mara: One with ‘the common touch’

In the wake of the recent general elections in Fiji, much public discussion and commentary has focused on the nation’s present political leaders and their standing within the community. What are the true hallmarks of a great leader? Intellect, vision, integrity, communication and decisiveness are expected attributes. But Rudyard Kipling speaks of yet another elusive...

The Great Council of Chiefs | ‘Cart before the horse’ or the horse itself?

My original title was “Reviving the GCC: the cart before the horse”. But there are indications that some forces within the PAP and SODELPA may want the GCC to be the horse pulling Fiji along, despite its poor record in looking after the narrower iTaukei interest. Is there any merit in the claim by Graham...

Drua’s golden boy | The rise of Iosefo Masi

Iosefo Masikau Baleiwairiki became a household name after delivering a sensational performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. After making a name for himself in 7s, Masi is turning heads in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. His hat-trick against the Moana Pasifika brought fans to their feet as they gave Fiji’s latest sensation a standing...

Letters to the Editor | Saturday, June 3, 2023

For the love of family! Motivation allows people to see beyond their jobs. This has proved true for Joneti Rokotuibau whose story was penned by Elena Vucukula via the People column (FT: 02/06). Sharing her story, Elena said that she switched vocation as she wanted to do better in life. Her dedication paid off as...

Editorial comment | Positive vibes for tourism

It is encouraging to note that tourism operators have expressed delight at the reassurance by Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka that there will be no drastic changes in the upcoming budget to disrupt tourism recovery. Today we learn from industry icon Tony Whitton that the news was reassuring for a sector that...

Pacific meets South Korea

Fresh off their meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi in PNG, Pacific leaders are this coming week gathering in Seoul for the inaugural South Korea-Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting. It is not hard to be sceptical about the value of these summits but, that said, they are not going to go away. Normally, they focus...

Opinion