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Model citizen |
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By Allen on
25/07/2008 2:26 p.m.
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Mr. Sailosi Siriva walks all over Waiyavi in Lautoka with his boy selling home made bread from a wheel barrow. During the evenings one can hear his soulful voice singing out, “Home made.” “Madrai” “Whole meal, home made.”
I have always bought bread form him and this week I asked him why the price of his bread had not risen like the other bread sellers. He said that he still makes a profit even though it was just enough. He said if he puts the price up people will not buy his wares. He also doesn’t have too much of an overhead and is content with what he makes. After talking to him for a while he invited me to visit his home to see his bakery. He sells wonderful bread that doesn’t have too much yeast. I likened it to the bread that we used to get from the prison bakery many years ago. It’s heavy and filling and can be shared easily by three people. Unlike the many bread shops around you can get bloated because it is loaded with yeast.
In the past Sailosi used to carry a carton full of bread and as time went by he could afford a wheel barrow. I told him that soon he would have a van. He just laughed.
During these hard times there are many able bodied people going around asking for money just like it grew on trees. Well Sailosi as a good example that hard work and dedicatio ...
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Phone danger |
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By Allen on
22/07/2008 3:06 p.m.
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A friend of mine received a threatening and obscene phone call from a mobile phone. When we tried
to call back, the number was unavailable. And has been unavailable ever since. We belive that a new $5.00 sim starter pack was used and then destroyed.
I would like to ask the mobile phone companies (Vodafone and Inkk) to register everyone who buys a new sim starter pack so that the number can be traced and the caller taken to task. At the moment I can walk in to any small
shop and buy a starter pack and make an obscener or threatening call and destroy the sim card and no
one will ever be the wiser. I have called the mobile phone companies and they said I have to refer
the problem to the police and get a warrant for them to be able to release information. The solution is
to get everyone registered, big job, but not impossible. It will also save a lot of heart ache for our
citizens.
Going to the police is a big task for people who live out of town.
And just imagine if a bomb threat was phoned in and no trace can be found of the caller.
So before it gets out of ha ...
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Miricle |
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By Allen on
12/07/2008 1:05 p.m.
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When I read the Fiji Times Eye Witness report and saw the picture (FT 3/7) I said, “Its a miracle, water is coming out of a concrete post.”
Many holy books tell us of the ‘end times’ when nations will rise up against each other and odd things will happen.
Could this be one of them!
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Men |
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By Allen on
12/07/2008 1:00 p.m.
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On Thursday July 3rd at 6 am I went to the Lautoka bus stand to see someone of to Vatukoula. When we got there I said, “Well the bus has left early.” Then we realized that there were no buses at all. Many citizens who may not have heard that the bus companies were going to make a statement, were milling around at the bus stand looking very confused. However, taxis were making a killing and of course there were those who deliver excellent illegal service.
It was sad to see grown men and women unceremoniously running to taxis in their bid to get a ride to Ba and beyond. Women were jostled aside by men and I wondered where the ‘Ladies first’ concept had gone to.
Anyway, a radio announcer said, “Please don’t take it out on the innocent people, thousands will not attend work and school and a country needs a working economy to survive.”
And I say, “You are right, don’t take it out on the innocent, don’t penalise the people by taking over a legitimately elected government because in normal times our economy would be able to buffer globally rising prices because we would be able to, tourism would be booming and all the usual assistance from donor countries would still be pouring in.
But guess what, many people who nev ...
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Grog parlour |
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By Allen on
12/07/2008 12:58 p.m.
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There is a Grog Parlour in Suva where yaqona is served just like a pub. You buy your grog and you are given a cloth a grog bowl and a basin. And you mix your own brew.
A visitor from the West suggested they should have a jukebox at the corner and maybe a fireplace. And a low burning light bulb.
I can just see grog doped people slow dancing to a love song by Frank Sinatra or Eddie Arnold crooning “Make the world go away.”
But the best would be “Wasted days and wasted nights.”
What a sight it would be.
And we say that the majority of the people live below the poverty line.
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Robbers getting sophisticated |
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By Allen on
12/07/2008 12:54 p.m.
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The news that two police officers where hurt when robbers turned on them is shocking.
This is the caliber of robbers now, that they have no fear of the law.
However, criminals have since upgraded their skills, I hope the police are staying one step ahead of them.
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Why corporeal punishment was banned |
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By Allen on
6/07/2008 9:58 a.m.
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THIS IS FROM MY FILES
Corporal punishment is forced pain intended to change a person's behaviour or to punish them. Historically speaking, most punishments, whether in judicial, domestic, or educational settings, were corporal in basis.
Corporeal punishment was banned in prisons and schools in Fiji by order of the Lautoka High Court. Justice Jayant Prakash who ruled corporal punishment in Fiji Criminal Procedure Code to be in breach of the constitution and unlawful. The ruling was made after a man who was jailed for five years and ordered to receive six strokes of the birch for the sexual abuse of his six-year-old appealed against the sentence.
His lawyer said corporal punishment was outdated because it was abolished in England in 1967. Corporeal punishment is tantamount to torture which according to the constitution as cruel, inhumane and degrading or disproportionately severe punishment. The Fiji Human Rights Commission made similar submissions in writing to the High Court. Justice Prakash upheld the prison sentence but quashed the six strokes of the birch and in a response to a request by the Human Rights Commission he also ruled that corporal punishment in schools was unconstitutional and unlawful. One of the reasons that corporeal punishment ...
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Very Marketable |
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By Allen on
6/07/2008 9:56 a.m.
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Waisale Serevi has done all he can for Fiji and more. He is a role model to every citizen in Fiji. Kids adore him and he loves children.
I am really saddened to see him beng treated like an old rugby boot.
In my opinion he is the most marketable living rugby athlete on earth. And if somehow rugby countries bid for his services, I hope Fiji will offer the highest, for myriads of reasons.
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Careless dog owner |
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By Allen on
3/07/2008 1:58 p.m.
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Stray dogs are a menace, can the authorities give us a telephone number where we can make reports about dog owners who do not look after their dog.
So that the dog owner can be put in a cage as punishment, or tied on a leash and left in the sun and rain. For a week.
On Saturday night 28th June a dog howled all night from around the Tagimaucia Road area in Lautoka. We live near the place and have been disturbed by the howling.
Tagimaucia Road is where executive senior civil servants live. I wonder if they are disturbed enough to care.
Someone must have left their dog and gone for the weekend and it was pining and howling.
Can I request the authorities to go and take action as I suggested above, please.
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Moonshine Penalty |
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By Allen on
20/06/2008 7:45 p.m.
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A very long time ago the penalty for making moonshine was hanging.
How times have changed.
Allen Lockington
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Timber toll |
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By Allen on
20/06/2008 7:44 p.m.
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The rising cost of fuel will slowly take its toll on our timber.
More and more people will be forced to cook on fire and trees will be cut indiscriminately for fuel.
The whole process of rising costs is slowly snowballing if not kept in check will soon run out of control.
And this is the formula that will guarantee that the rich get richer an the poor get poorer.
Allen Lockington
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Simple plan |
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By Allen on
20/06/2008 7:43 p.m.
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Many citizens want Fiji to be a religiously committed country.
They can do it, provided their actions are legitimate, ethical, logical, sane, and in line with their religious doctrine.
Simple, because there can be no other.
Allen Lockington
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Dogs life |
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By Allen on
14/06/2008 1:49 p.m.
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We may be living in difficult times and for many citizens it is a real struggle to make ends meet, but for some they can afford many things. Bt this a story to warm the heart.
An employer thought he would throw a party for his employees to show his appreciation.
After a while an employee notices that his bosses dogs were also getting a feed. It wasn’t the left over bones but a new lot of lamb chops was being prepared for the pampered pooches.
The inebriated employee said when he died he would ask god to reincarnate him as a dog to be his bosses pet.
When asked why he said, “Those dogs eat better than me and boss treats his dogs very well.”
Allen Lockington
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What is absolute poverty |
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By Allen on
14/06/2008 1:33 p.m.
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The dailies have reported that many of our citizens live in absolute poverty.
What is absolute poverty, what is poverty and what is living below the poverty line.
It will be interesting to see what the Department of Social welfare has to say.
Allen Lockington
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AGs report |
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By Allen on
14/06/2008 1:32 p.m.
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When the Auditor General releases his report can it go straight to FICAC, please or to the police for that matter.
I have a feeling the reason why the report never really sees the light of day is because senior ranking civil servants would get in to trouble.
Over the years we have been reading about the same mismanagement, same abuse of office and same abuse of power. They must have very thick carpet in the halls of the civil service.
Then we hear that defaulting officers are punished by being transferred. That’s not solving the problem, that’s transferring the problem.
It is time that we put our foot down, if not five years down the road we will be ruled by the barrel of the gun again.
Allen Lockington
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How long |
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By Allen on
7/06/2008 7:35 p.m.
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Fuel prices are rising again. The cost of living scale is slowly tipping over.
The cost of basic food items is also rising. Pumpkin that used to cost $4.00 is now $7.00.
The interim government is not going to get 100% support from the whole country.
Financial aid that used to flow in is not coming.
Our tar sealed roads are turning into the gravel roads of the 60s.
The Interim Prime Minister has said not to ask about the legality of his regime.
How long will we carry on like this?
Allen Lockington
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What is |
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By Allen on
7/06/2008 7:35 p.m.
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The dailies have reported that many of our citizens live in absolute poverty.
What is absolute poverty, what is poverty and what is living below the poverty line.
It will be interesting to see what the Department of Social welfare has to say.
Allen Lockington
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Inconsiderate church |
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By Allen on
7/06/2008 7:34 p.m.
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Sunday morning 1st June the usually serene community that lives near Nadovu Park was awakened by the maniacal screaming of a preacher saying that Jesus is the way. This was just after 5 am. Preaching and screaming are two worlds apart but this was maniacal screaming. The preacher was saying that Jesus was the way the truth and the light. I’m sure Jesus didn’t say to wake people up unnecessarily.
To all the church’s and religious organization that use amplifiers to boost their spoken word, Jesus is not deaf and the people need their rest. We will get our own dose of the good news when we seek it we don’t need for it to be shoved down our throats early in the morning.
There are many incidents where drunken parties disturb the peace of other wise peaceful communities and this is no different.
Many church denominations that use Nadovu Park and amplify their microphones are very inconsiderate.
And to the police, please keep a look out for these kinds of disturbances. Whether it is a drunken party or a church please keep it down.
One of the messages in the Good News is about Jesus saying My Peace I bring to you and My Peace I Leave with you.
But this is certainly not the ...
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Wondering |
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By Allen on
7/06/2008 7:33 p.m.
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Some time ago I needed the services of a mechanic, so I looked around for someone who charged reasonably and was known in the market. In my search I put aside a very good friend who was also a mechanic.
I went from garage to garage and many of the services were much to be desired.
I still met my friend, had a few bowls of yaqona with him but he never asked me about my car. I knew he was good at his work but I just went to others.
After some time my car was in need of a mechanic who had a masters degree in mechanics.
I then asked my pal if he could take a look, he agreed and he fixed it and now its as just as good as new. And he said I didn’t have to pay him because he was my friend and he said loyalty was all he wanted. I was stunned, here was the best mechanic around and he had been a part of my life all the time, but my arrogance or stupidity took me to others. He now looks after my car and I consider him a Doctor of Motor cars.
I have since rued the day I put him aside and chose others, and to make it worse he didn’t ask to be paid. But l I pay him and he only asks for half of what the others charge, he said repairing a friends car was payment enough.
I wonde ...
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Vinaka Lautoka Hospital |
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By Allen on
7/06/2008 7:32 p.m.
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My family and I wish to thank the doctors, nurses, midwives and other personnel at the Lautoka hospitals’ Ante Natal and labour wards. My daughter was admitted at 10am on Monday 2nd of June and was due to deliver her first child and had been experiencing severe labour pains.
We were received with the utmost courtesy and professionalism.
She had been in labour some twenty hours and we were getting anxious because mother and child could get distressed.
The service rendered by the nurses and midwives in the labour ward was excellent. Our entourage of female relatives and friends had also gone into the labour ward and had somewhat crowded the place. They were politely asked to leave because they were causing a commotion in their anticipation of the coming newborn but were reassured that my daughter was in good hands.
While I waited outside I would hear squeals of newborns and said to my self , “Isa another life has just come into the world.” I was expecting to hear the scream of our new born but it was to be a few more hours and this was distressing me. The nurses’ constant check and advice was reassuring and this is what kept me sane.
When she finally delivered after a cesarean opera ...
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