Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Monday 17 January 2011

Potato Import Substitution, Grassroots Governance and Rural Shops, I'taukei Defined, Thai-Poosam

N0039. POTATOES IN FIJI'S LITTLE ISRAEL. When Jews set up kibbutz (agricultural villages) in British Palestine from  the early 20th century until the 1950s, they turned land only fit for grazing into highly profitable farms.  In a smaller way this is what is happening at Tadravula near Seaqaqa in Vanua Levu.

There 1,600 acres of land, previously owned by the then Native Lands District Commission that had been idle for 20 years, is being turned into a large integrated vegetable and fruit farm that will produce potatoes as its major crop. The farm is being operated by an Australian company Farm 2 UFresh Fiji Limited that so far has sunk $2 million into the project.

Managing director Aaron Sharma said they are planting 25 acres of potatoes every week and will soon harvest the same amount in a sustainable system to ensure continuous supply. Sharma hopes to harvest more than one million kilograms in a year.

The farm is seen as a major player for import substitution, and part of government's intention to ensure that all available idle land is brought into production.

N0040. RURAL SHOPS,
  many little more than stores serving only one village, require a licence to open, and the price of licences has gone from $30 a few years back to $200 today. 

During a talanoa session with the PM last week villagers in Veinuqa, Namosi, complained this was too much but all their complaints had fallen on deaf ears.  They'd merely been told the $200 now covered all essential services such as the National Fire Authority. It didn't seem to matter that a fire engine could not get to the village and even if it could the whole village would be in flames before it arrived.

The PM has asked the Commissioner Central and the Provincial Development permanent secretary to look into the matter with the authorities concerned. The villagers hope to open a shop in the near future. -- Based on 2011, No:0071 /MOI.

N0041. ITAUKEI MUST DEFINE THEMSELVES.
  Institute of Indigenous Studies CEO Emitai Boladuadua has called on itaukei to be educated in their history, culture and language or run the risk that "others will define who we are and what we are ...  We have continually seen ourselves as others did. We have yielded and ceded to them the authority as well as the legitimacy to define us. We need to act now [to change this], he said, drawing particular attention to the need to reinforce the i'taukei worldwide view about the centrality of relationship and reciprocal obligations. Head of the Institute's Academic Unit, former USP university lecturer and deputy PM in the short-lived Chaudhry government, Dr Tupeni Baba said: “We need to repair and rediscover our place in our land. We cannot change the past. however, we can correct and repair the damage that has been done to our culture and identity.”

N0042.VAARSHIKA THAIPOOSAM THIRUNAAL. Thousands of Hindu devotees  gathered at the Sri Siva Subramanya Swamy Temple in Nadi to celebrate the 85th annual Vaarshika Thaipoosam Thirunaal yesterday. The ten-day celebration is expected to attract devotees from around the country and from abroad. People of all races and religions are welcome to take part.

Vaarshik Thai-Poosam Thirunaal is a time of fasting and meditation when devotees show their respect for the Hindu god of war, Subramaniam, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. The festival takes place during the 10th month of the Tamil calendar, which is called Thai and on the day the full moon passes in front of the star, Poosam.

Devotees carry the karvadi (a burden in which a load is tied to the ends of a pole and carried over the shoulders) but many have gone beyond the simple burden and in return for a blessing, they pin themselves with silver needles, long metal spikes and fish hooks. A Thai-Poosam devotee purifies himself by months of a vegetarian diet, and abstinence from alcohol, cigarettes, sexual activities and other forms of contamination. Only after the prayers, does he return to a normal life.

8 comments:

M.B.N said...

Croz - can you confirm if these comments below are yours...or someone pretending to be you (from Fiji Today)

Another example that clearly demonstrates how serious the Fiji government and its visionary Prime Minister is if it comes to reforms. Cleaning up public transport was long overdue and no elected government has ever dared to take on the force of Fiji’s bus and taxi drivers. During my last visit in Fiji, I had to use a taxi whose driver wore an earring and complaint about the state of the economy in a way that reminded me of the malicious blogs that distribute biased information and refuse to accept that free expression in Fiji must be curbed for the sake of a better Fiji. I congratulate the Prime Minister to his innovative reforms and I wished that New Zealand taxi drivers would be regulated in line with the ground breaking example the Fiji government has set!

Crosbie Walsh said...

@ M.B.N. Thanks for alerting me. No, I did not write the comment. I've sent the following email to the Fiji Today publisher:

Peter, Just to let you know that someone pretending to be me has made a comment on your taxi dress code posting. I suspect the same is true of the comment by Walker Texas Ranger, and indeed most of the comments seem spurious and appear to be written by the same person. I don’t know what you can do about this but I’d be pleased if you would delete the comment supposedly by me, and inform your readers you do not approve of this sort of misrepresentation.
Best wishes,
Croz

I wannabe Croz too said...

Croz, much as it must seem disturbing and bizarre to have people posing as you, there's a certain cache to the whole thing. Instead of being a run-of-the-mill wannabe, as most of your critics are, you, on the other hand, have people who wannabe you. Extraordinary as it may seem, my advice is to enjoy the moment and bask in the glory of it all. Your own fifteen minutes of fame seems to be stretching a lot longer than most and I, for one, think you thoroughly deserve the attention. I just wish someone would start impersonating me. Alas, I fear I'm destined to be disappointed, having always been required to treat failure as a friend. You, on the other hand, seem to have everything; credibility, respect, a devoted readership and a golfing handicap that is the envy of Horowhenua. Life is so unfair.

Mele said...

Fijitoday must have a new boss as it has finally praised the goverment over schooling?

Walker Texas Ranger said...

@ Croz and M.B.N.

Let us assure you both that when Walker Texas Ranger posts it is never 'spurious'. However, if a full comprehension of this term 'spurious' results that is a good thing and fundamental change for the better may result. Corruption in Fiji is driven 'by the spurious'. It is time to test this in a court of law and all those who subscribe to it.

Run Dallas, Run said...

Croz
Can you get on your hotline to Sharon and give us a heads up on Dallas Swinstead, the latest to scamper the regime. We all knew he wouldn't last long, but 3 months is a bit short?

Dallas grassy knoll said...

Yes, what IS the story with Dallas Swinstead. Judging from the glowing comments of Mac Patel in the departure statement, there's been no falling out. Maybe the original deal was for Swinstead to move in and stabilise the ship on a short-term basis until more permanent arrangements could be put in place. I don't think there's any evidence whatsoever - as "Run Dallas, Run" suggests - that he's "scampering" the regime. The regime will have loved him. After all, he got rid of the hated Netani Rika and installed an editor in Fred Wesley explicitly willing to toe the line. Anyone know the inside story?

Imprimatur said...

Imprimatur....Dallas Swinstead and scarpering?

Is is related that the CEO of Air Pacific David Pflieger had to resort to having a letter he had written initially to the Fiji Times published in the Fiji SUN in lieu and in the interest of fairness and accuracy? This is a pretty shocking state of affairs and it suggests that if DW HAS scarpered, things are unravelling already. Professionalism is expected of the Fiji Times and of all Fiji newspapers and media. Full Stop. Their likes and dislikes, their pet agendas are of no importance. Keep to the track!