I wish Christmas drinks were as easy as this

from w
In Rukurukulevu village, this is the life!

A letter from Allen Lockington

(pic from flickr)
from w
Allen Lockington from Lautoka gets letters published nearly every day in one of the Fiji newspapers. Today I read one of Allen's letters in the Fiji Times. Yuck! How gross! That was my reaction to today's story, but it gives 'food for thought'. Why did this happen? Are some people so poor? Of course the man in the story may have been a little short of intelligence, not that there's anything wrong with that - as Seinfeld would say! What do you think? I think this story is a parable of our world - the leftovers go to the poor and troubled countries and peoples. Of the excess of the rich, the poor get second-rate things in order to survive. Some overseas aid might be in this category. Here is Allen's letter.

Eating leftovers

WE had been eating at the Lautoka City Mall when a young man came to our table, sat down, pulled the plates of leftovers and began eating them. He opened crumpled up food bags and ate whatever he found. We were stunned. He did not even notice us. He ate all the chicken bones, picked up what had fallen on the table and then licked the plates clean. He drank the bottle of partially finished lemonade, burped and left.

We were shocked. He didn't even say thank you.

ALLEN LOCKINGTON
Lautoka

Diversitat and Human Rights Day

from w
On Friday evening Peceli and I represented the Fiji community in Geelong by attending the Foods of the World celebration at the Wholefoods Cafe which it was really crowded with friends from the different ethnic communities, the Inter-faith Council and other groups. After speeches from representatives from the Aboriginal community and others on the topic of HRights, we were entertained by singers such as Leah whose Dad is from Tuvalu, a wonderful violin player who got our toes tapping with Hungarian music, and also young girls performing Spanish dances. At the same time we enjoyed delicious ethnic food. The Wholefoods cafe is a good venue for folk music while dining so I hope they have many more parties of this kind.

So what do the new coins look like?

from w
These are the old Fiji coins - and why do they have the Queen's pic on one side when Fiji is a republic? So what will be on the new ones? Something in keeping with the year 2008 so dare I ask what those things would be!

added later - Dec 19th
Here are pics of what those pennies with the holes in them looked like. Lovely pennies!

Gone fishing - what about in Macuata!

from w
The Fiji Sun and others sensationalised the arrest of Macuata men to do with confiscating someone's fish catch that the Macuata men assumed were caught in their qoliqoli area - the Great Sea Reef that came under conservation.

But it is more complex than that - if the Fiji Times journalist is right - that the prosecution is selective (which may be typical these days). From Fiji Times Dec 12

Fishing ground owners accuse police
By THERESA RALOGAIVAU
Friday, December 12, 2008

THE Qoliqoli Committee of Macuata has accused the police of selectively prosecuting fishing ground owners and letting poachers get away with their crimes.

Committee advisor Mosese Nakoroi said several poachers had been arrested by fish wardens and in some instances the police were also involved but no charges were laid.

"Yet when fishing ground owners act to protect their fishing grounds they are arrested and charged," Mr Nakoroi said.

Macuata high chief Ratu Aisea Katonivere was recently charged with larceny for allegedly taking about 900 kilograms of fish from two boats.

Three other Naduri villagers have appeared in court for the same crime.

Mr Nakoroi said the boats were seized off Mali last year for fishing without a license. A boat from Lautoka was seized for the same reason.

"When we reported to the fisheries department and police however nothing was done," he said. "This is unfair because resource owners want to protect and conserve their marine resources for future generations because it is their food source and source of income yet these poachers are not being dealt with."

"Resource owners have been reporting and now they are taking the law into their own hands because they are tired or doing their best without support from the state.

"Earlier this year several boats in Naduri were seized for poaching and fishing wardens called the Fisheries Department to handle the matter and they were told a fisheries officer was on his way but none showed up.

"What has happened now undermines an effort by resource owners to protect their resources."

Deputy Director Police Operations SP Erami Raibe said they would look into the complaint from the committee.

Senivalati Navuku, the co-manager of the WWF Fiji country program, said charges being laid against resources owners protecting their qoliqoli could discourage greater efforts in the future."We are aware of the complaints from qoliqoli owners because a lot of the communities are reporting poaching but nothing has been done about," Mr Navuku said.

Former Prime Minister Laisenia Laisenia Qarase said Ratu Aisea's actions were illegal because he did not own the qoliqoli. "The reality is that Fijians do not own the qoliqoli because the ownership is still with the State and the Qoliqoli Bill's main intention was to transfer ownership to the indigenous Fijians," he said. Mr Qarase said had the bill succeeded resource owners wouldn't be in the predicament they face today.

Turning somersaults and jumping hoops

from w
When I used to see the Captain Cook cargo ship loading up wheat for Fiji or even rice, I just shook my head in wonder that Fiji cannot produce enough food for the people. Importing food is very expensive. The land in Fiji is so rich and there is plenty of it. In Taveuni you could grow dalo in your armpit! Then I read that enterprising rice farmers in Dreketi, Vanua Levu, don't have the necessary fertiliser to get their crops going. Okay it's not Taveuni soil, but do they need fertilizer? Maybe sugar cane land in some places has been degraded by a century of growing the same crop. Why not try differnet kinds of peas or beans? The government guys in the Ag department should be turning somersaults and jumping hoops to get the rural economy not only going but really flourishing!

From the Fiji Times today :

Fertiliser shortage affects rice farmers
Thursday, December 11, 2008

Update: 10:41AM Shortage of fertilisers remains a challenge for farmers in the Northern Division as it thrives to revitalise the rice industry.

Agricultural officer in charge of the Agricultural Station in Dreketi, Jone Matawalu said while rice farmers are using the Indonesian technology to increase their production, fertiliser shortage continues to be one of the major challenges faced.

"One of the main problems, which the farmers are facing, is the shortage of fertilisers as the South Pacific Fertilisers are not in the position to supply us with the fertilisers that we need right now and it is one of the major drawbacks we are facing," he said.

According to Mr Matawalu, with the support from the Government of Indonesia, China and Japan, the rice farmers have been introduced with new technologies to encounter other challenges.

"Secondly we are trying to introduce new technologies to these rice farmers with the assistance from the Government of Indonesia, China and Japan. However, we really need the constant supply of fertilisers," he said.

Mr Matawalu said the farmers are focusing on the local production and the main market for their rice is Rewa Rice.

Are we tired, are we pragmatic?

from w
It is 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but as time goes by we become despondent, perhaps shrug and just take the injustices. We get tired of being passionate and speaking up, and then of course, we become pragmatic, wanting to feed families, no matter what happens in the top tiers of society. Is that how some of us feel about Fiji and human rights today? Surely we still need to be vigilant, to actively work for justice and what is a fair go to the weakest people in society. Hey, what about today's Human Rights march in Suva, and guess who was leading the march. The military and police guys!

FWCC boycotts Human Rights March
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Center has questioned the involvement of the military and police in celebrations held today to mark World Human Rights Day and the end of the 16 days of activism on violence against women.

Co-coordinator Edwina Kotoisuva says the inclusion of the military and police is a concern especially since on the issue of human rights.

Kotoisuva said,” as human rights activists this day has always meant a great deal to us in that we’ve always always tried to make it visible – about human rights issues and human rights in general.”

“But we really are concerned at the security forces, you cant just sort of march to say that you respect human, there’s a lot more depth to it in terms of looking at ourselves and how we promote human rights in the work that we do, and how we respect human rights and whether we respect human rights through the work that we do,” she added.

The Women’s Crisis Center refused to be part of the march after they found that the military and police would be leading the procession which began from the Suva Flea market and ended at Sukuna Park.

The Defence Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau was chief guest at the celebrations.

A whinge for today

from w
Sobosobo, the priority I think is health, education, infrastructure such as roads, water, etc. and as the President of the Fijian Teachers Association says, no way should the education budget be cut by sacking teachers. Already some children are in classes of up to seventy children and that is absolutely untenable. Cut the budget elsewhere....and it's obvious where it should be... but not in the schools!From FijiSun today:
Leave teachers out of cuts, says union

12/8/2008
Government should exclude the education ministry from the budget reduction by 10 per cent said Fijian Teachers Association president, Tevita Koroi yesterday.
He said 1300 positions would be disestablished when the civil service reform is completed.

Speaking at the Civil Service Excellence Awards on Friday night, minister for indigenous affairs Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said the reforms would save the interim government $21 million.

Mr Koroi pleaded with the government not to include the education ministry in the 10 per cent reduction. “It will affect the quality of service in schools,” he said.“As a result students are affected by this. The 10 per cent reduction means there will be a $20 million reduction in the ministry of education’s budget.

“900 teaching positions will be affected and this is a huge number for a small country. So for the sake and future of our children we are asking the government to exclude the education ministry in the proposed public service reform.”

Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions general secretary Attar Singh said removing that amount of people would definitely affect the quality of services.“The government is making announcements and going ahead with its decisions,” said Mr Singh. However, it has yet to consult unions on this proposal.”

Chkristmas aint what it ought to be

from w, aka Ba Humbug Mrs Scrooge
Stories about decorations and all the carry-on about pre-Christmas parties don't go over well with me. An Age writer explains:
When Santas dance in the yard, it must be Kitschmas time againPeter Munro
December 7, 2008

"People drive by and say my place is lit up like a fairy park." Bob Langley stands among his festive season creations outside his house in Ibottson Street, Watsonia. Photo: Pat Scala


SANTA Claus is crooning Jingle Bells and gyrating his hips alongside a plastic priest praying in front of a plywood chapel, as the North Pole express chuffs into a toy station bearing gifts.

A second Santa spins round a lazy susan, while a third snores like a bullfrog in a tiny bed. One Santa is lit up like a Christmas tree atop a see-saw in the ‘‘Australian corner’’ of Bob Langley’s front lawn, next to cement statuettes of two Aborigines, a koala and kangaroo. Flashing lights snake through the grass below 800 fairy lights and three reindeer, standing by an empty sleigh while Santa climbs a chimney towards a crucifix that lights up the night sky. "They call me Mr Griswold. People drive by and say my place is lit up like a fairy park," says Mr Langley, a 70-year-old Vietnam War veteran.

Gaudy and glorious in equal measure, his home is a celebration of Christianity and kitsch, and that peculiar passion Christmas brings out in otherwise unremarkable people. Houses that lie dormant for 11 months of the year — typically in the outer suburbs, where front fences are lower — suddenly burst from the Christmas closet dressed in a full-length Santa suit and flashing, red Rudolph nose. ‘‘My parents died when I was young and I never had a Christmas, so I made sure our children and grandchildren were going to get the best,’’ says Mr Langley’s wife, Violet. ‘‘I am obsessed with Christmas. This is a must-do or die.’’

It started small, like most obsessions. One Christmas they co-opted their eldest granddaughter’s doll into playing baby Jesus on the front lawn of their fourbedroom house in Ibbottson Street, Watsonia. Almost 30 years later, the lawn is full of figurines and there’s a posse of plastic penguins in an illuminated crystal igloo, muscling in on the manger.

‘‘It just drags you in. If I see something that suits the theme, I’ll buy it,’’ Mrs Langley says. ‘‘Every year it’s a different colour theme. This year it’s ‘multi’ — purple, silver, red, green and gold — I haven’t done ‘multi’ in a long time.’’

Czech novelist Milan Kundera called kitsch ‘‘the absolute denial of shit’’. Much worse than simply sentimental, kitsch was a sanitised, bowdlerised, Disneyfied slice of life. But it’s a safe bet he’s never been to Melbourne’s north for Kitschmas.

‘‘There’s so much gloom in the world, you’ve got to make something happy, and Christmas is the best time to do it,’’ Mr Langley says. His wife points to a life-size, singing and hip-swivelling Santa, and adds: ‘‘What do you want adull Christmas for?’’

Why indeed, when you can go online to buy an inflatable Mickey Mouse on a rocking horse or the Simpsons in a sleigh; an inflatable crucifix and nativity scene, or a 3.4-metre inflatable Hannukah bear for the annual Jewish festival. At the Christmas Cave store in Brunswick, red plush Santa suits are sold alongside Santa bikinis. Christmas trees come in green, purple, gold, blue and upside down.

The Skidmore family stop to buy a chicken that clucks ouy Jingle Bells. Their home inNumurkah, in northern Victoria, lights up like Tullamarine at night.

Flashing icicles dangle from the eaves and an illuminated Santa in a sleigh flashes in Geoff and Kathleen’s main bedroom window, keeping them awake until midnight in the week before Christmas. ‘‘We started off doing it for the kids, then it kind of just grew,’’ Mr Skidmore says. ‘‘We’ve got schoolkids coming for visits and each year they expect something different.’’

He reckons he’s spent about $4000 on Christmas decorations in the past two years, while on a disability pension. The Christmas Cave’s most expensive item is an $18,000 animated Santa in a sleigh pulled by moving reindeer. But store manager Robert Passador says customers are spending less on expensive outdoor decorations this year amid the economic downturn. And yet, Kerry from South Morang confessed on Fox FM last week to spending $20,000 on Christmas lights for her home and the homes of her parents and sister.

Dr Peter Cotton, spokesman for the Australian Psychological Society, says such spending could point to an unhealthy obsession akin to problem gambling. ‘‘Some people can be inclined to overdo it,’’ he says.

‘‘Where it becomes a problem is where they spend so much time and money on it that it has a negative effect on other aspects of their life.’’

Chris Ellis, 45, assistant store manager of the Reject Shop in Wyndham Vale, west of Melbourne, says she has spent about $1000 on Christmas decorations inside and outside her home. Her dirt-dry front yard is filled with giant inflatable snow domes, which sprinkle white polystyrene balls over blow-up figurines of Santa Claus riding a reindeer, and a revolving carousel of penguins. Singing and dancing penguins form a guard of honour up her driveway, next to an illuminated reindeer.

‘‘I went really corny this year. I bought a wooden planter box and filled it up with hay and put little carrots in for the reindeer,’’ she says.

Santa dangles from the end of a white rope outside her front window. Inside are two Christmas
trees and Max, her cocker spaniel, struggling to fit into his Santa suit. ‘‘I think I do it because my day-to-day job does my head in,’’ Ms Ellis says.

‘‘It goes back to making other people happy. And I suppose it doesn’t matter how old you are — you can still enjoy that child in you.’’

The on-going topic of the Qawa River trouble

a clean Qawa River upstream

a picture from google earth of part of Labasa town, via tribewanted.
from w
For years the people of babasiga just put up with the dirty river caused by the polluting Sugar mill and others who treated the river as a dump. Now it is an on-going protest and even the Methodist Church in Labasa has picked up the subject. Vinaka va'alevu guys.
from today's Fiji radio:
Protest march against Qawa river stenchWednesday, December 03, 2008
Taken from / By: fbcl
The Methodist Church will lead a march this Saturday in silent protest against the foul smell coming out of the Qawa River. Rev. Savirio Vuata says people living along the QAWA River will not sit back any longer while nothing is being done to rectify the problem.

Rev Vuata says all they’ve been told is that the Fiji Sugar Corporation and the Vatura sawmill is dumping their waste into the river and the march is for authorities to look into the matter and stop the continuation of pollution.

He says people living alongside the river can no longer draw sustain from it because of the foul smell it holds which only happens when the sugar mill is in operation Rev. Vuata says it is only at the end of the crushing season when the river is somewhat normal.

The Methodist Church march will be accompanied by other religious bodies and villagers who live alongside the Qawa River and will start from the Nasea Methodist church to Macuata house.

A government official will await them at Macuata House to receive their petition.

Who is wearing those silly hats?

from w
When sorting books this morning for Donation in Kind, I came across a very battered 1971's Fiji book by James Siers, too falling to bits to send to a school, and too good to throw in a bin. However I rescued it and have found some interesting pictures. Can you guess who is wearing the strange hats? And doesn't the man in the middle look like his son Will! What a crowd was there that day, and are they QVS boys dancing? You know the occasion I'm sure.

A Fijian girl in Melbourne

from w
Elisapeci Vakaloloma's family live near Melbourne and are part of our Fijian community church at Altona Meadows/Laverton. Here are some pictures of her, with a Little Athletics trophy and one of Elisapeci reading the Bible at church. The family are preparing to go to Fiji for her Auntie Lutu's wedding in Suva so it is a busy time.

New migrants in Geelong

from Peceli
On Thursday night we attended the Annual Meeting of Diversitat, the Geelong Migrant Resource Centre organisation that grew from a concern for new migrants to the region. The early migrants sixty years ago were mainly from Italy and Greece. The most recent migrant communities have come from either Sudan or Burma such as from the Karen tribes. We were delighted to have a Karen group sing to us at the meeting and I was surprised to notice that the songs were Christian, though in their language. The Sudanese and the Karen families who have come to Geelong as refugees are often busy with intensive English language classes or one to one conversation. There are over forty different ethnic communities represented on the Diversitat Council. It was an Awards Night also and I was honoured with a certificate as a representative from the Pacific and thirteen years on the committee.

Wadan takes a deep breath and then says it

from w
This is one of the strongest articles that criticize the recent Interim Government Budget. Hmmm. It's a feature article in today's Fiji Times. and also in the Fiji Sun. It's a strong article. Rather than copy it here, you can look it up on the Fiji Times or the Fiji Sun site.
Legacy of evil and deceit
By Professor Wadan Narsey
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Who's got $20,000 play money?

from w
This new 'Second home visa' is only meant for rich people. Not everyone has $30,000 or $20,000 play money to put into a bank deposit in Fiji, so it is a selective visa. It's not for an ordinary bubu to go back to the village in retirement (if he's taken out another citizenship!) A second gripe is that the exit tax on visitors to Fiji has been upped to about $70 which is too much. Hey, if you want to attract tourists and visitors to Fiji, that's not the way to go, nor is the hefty price of Air Pacific tickets - e.g. Melbourne to Nadi return in the Christmas season is over $1500! You can just about get to Paris for that!
from Fiji TV news:
Attracting foreign currency funds through new immigration policy
23 Nov 2008 02:38:41

Non-Fiji residents who intend to settle in the country will have all legal rights, except for voting. The 'Fiji My Second Home' Program is part of Budget 2009 - which allows non-citizens to reside in Fiji on a multiple entry social visit pass. The Department of Immigration says, the goal is to attract foreign currency funds into the country.

The new 'Fiji My Second Home Programme' announced in the 2009 national budget is one of the many schemes by the interim government to attract investment, that will eventually grow the economy. The programme will allow non citizens to reside in Fiji on a multiple entry social visit pass...in an effort to attract foreign currency funds into the country including expenditure locally for retirement and here living by non-citizens. The programme has some requirements though those who use this facility, will need to satisfy certain critieria including a fixed deposit placement of $200,000 for those aged 50 and above and $300,000 for those aged below 50. Interest earned from deposits will be exempted from tax. Those who fall under this category will have all the validity rights in the country except for voting.

The program comes into effect on January 1st, 2009.

So why don't they get fined $1 million dollars?

from w
Today's Fiji Times - the FSC say....at last..... they they caused the river pollution. It's been going on for decades I expect, so why weren't they fined? Thank you to the students of All Saints Secondary School for persisting in analysing the water quality of the Qawa River and alerting the adults that this is a problem that is not going away.

FSC takes blame for polluted river
By Theresa Ralogaivau
Monday, November 24, 2008

THE Fiji Sugar Corporation has accepted blame for pollution in the Qawa River after test results showed it dumped an excessive amount of untreated waste and toxic substance into it, killing marine life.

Test results presented to the Labasa mill management showed there was a heavy sugar discharge into the river.

Tests showed it was at an appaling 470,000 mg/litre when the normal standard was nil sugar presence.

Hot water poured into the Qawa River after being used for cooling purposes in the mill raised the river temperature, killing river plants and vapourising useful gases.

The bio chemical oxygen demand of a river, which is a gauge of the effectiveness of an industry's waste water treatment, showed 18,480 mg/litre when the accepted standard was 40mg/litre.

Macuata Rural Local Authority board secretary Rakesh Kumar said the river was in a bad state because of the high level of pollutant being dumped into it by FSC.

"Mostly in pristine rivers the BOD is 1mg/litre, in moderately polluted rivers, it has a BOD range of two 8mg/litre yet the amount in the river is beyond comparison even with the 600 mg/litre for untreated sewerage," Mr Kumar said.

There was also an unacceptable high level of nitrogen and ethanol discharge along with calcium, which is found in lime, used in the mill's production process.

The results explained that the stench emitted from the river, and which permeated the atmosphere for miles around, had a distinct rotten-egg smell which is a relevant feature of hydrogen sulphide.

Test samples were taken in two stages from eight spots along the river. The first stage was before the mill resumed crushing and after crush started. "Prior to the mill opening for crushing the BOD was low, however, there was a drastic increase to 18,480 after the mill started," Mr Kumar said.

Tests were carried out after All Saints Secondary School students and hundreds of residents along the river complained of headache.

"What we need to remember is that this management alone cannot be blamed for the problem because it has been there for decades,' Mr Kumar said.

Mill manager Uday Nand said the FSC was going to put in place changes to save the Qawa River.

"We will work together to get the things improved," he said.

Is a variation of the tagimoucia flower?

from w
Maybe it is the same species but there are often variations of plants so the one found in Bua could be the same or a little different. I had heard before that the tagimoucia did grow high up in the mountains of Vanua Levu. I read this on the Fiji radio site.
Fiji’s unique flower Tagimoucia discovered in Bua
Thursday, November 20, 2008

Revelations are that the unique flower Tagimoucia which is found only in Taveuni has been discovered in the highlands of Bua in Vanua Levu. In the interior of the district of Dama, stands the Na Votuvotu peak – the highest peak in Bua. It is said from the peak one can see the whole of Vanua Levu and its is from this mountain top the Tagimoucia which is known to the people of Bua as Tekiteki Vunimoceyawa has been discovered.

The difference between the Tagimoucia in Taveuni and that which has just been discovered, is that the Bua species has a mixture of red, purple and white colors in the inside of its petals.

Legend has it that it is the Na Vutovuto peak where Naulumatua planted the first Bua plant and named the province after the flower. However he did not want to reside there because he could still see his native Verata village in Tailevu where he was initially chased from. This prompted the young chief to move back down to Seatura and settled.

The Tagimoucia was discovered by the people of Bua and confirmation was done by USP researchers.

Packing a container for Fiji

from Peceli
The container is full and now locked, ready to send to Fiji. Here are some photos taken at the Geelong depot of Donation in Kind on Tuesday morning. One is of Wendy, Errol and Joy packing books donated by a local school. Most volunteers are retired people with connections with Rotary, or just friends who want something useful to do.

Thank you Obama

from w
Does Obama drink Fiji water? Now that could be capitalised upon surely!

Thank you Kris

from w.
St Mary's Primary School right on the main street in Labasa town, has been there such a long time and is still going. The St Mary's hostel not far away is on land given by Peceli's Dad way back in the 40s. Anyway they are fund-raising at present and here's a story about a lad who is doing his bit for the school.
from Fiji Sun:
Charity begins at home
11/16/2008
A 13-year-old boy has set an example that charity begins at home after he volunteered to raise $1, 000 for his former school. Kris Dayal, a former St Mary’s Primary School student in Labasa was part of the school’s fundraising drive as it desperately needs money to pay its debts.

Noticing his parents’ busy schedule at their newly opened hotel, Kris took a bold step of setting up a snow kone and pizza stall at the school ground where he was helped by the hotel staff.

The stall had a poster which reads “Every dollar you spend at this stall will be a direct contribution to the school”

“As a former student, it is time to do something as a token of saying thank you to the school for what it has done to my development as a person,” Kris said. His parents Vinesh and Rachel Dayal said they were proud of their son’s initiative to help the school.

“I am a proud father that my son is part of this effort,” said Mr Dayal

“This should encourage former students to come out and be involved. “Parents can only give as much time they have. Listening to your child can also make a big difference.”

There were lots of activities at the school ground where parents and children were busy selling soft drinks and sweets.