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

Saturday 7 April 2012

Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.

               Illegal Operators

There is a report that says that there is some concern about illegal operators along Valley Road. That question can be answered with another question, Why, are they operating?

We have lots of illegal vans in Lautoka, but we are benefiting. If you took all of them of the road, the travelling public will suffer. The authorities know this but are booking them because they are illegal. And that is the unfortunate part of things. We have to come to some compromise about illegal vans because many of them have been operating for so long that their drivers have become the wage earners for hundreds of families.

If I had my way I would find a way to assist the van drivers so that they can have a licence to carry passengers. There are so many ways to solve the problem.

 Anyway, I love it when the authorities say they are looking into it. How long have they been looking into it?  Watch out for the looking glass syndrome!


Another issue are those “video outlets” – are they illegal or not? If they're illegal then are why are they still operating?When illegal activities are allowed to occur unimpeded, it shows there's is a market and the enforcement of the law is weak.

6 comments:

A Brickbat for the Banks said...

Impunity for malfeasance within the Police Force appears to be coming to an end with the Sitting of a Court in Ba and seven Police Officers accused of theft charged and appearing in the Magistrates Court.

This at long last is Justice being done and seen to be done.

But the injustice of the Association of Banks refusing to open in Nadi and Namaka over a four day holiday has served to undo this progress. This behaviour is inimical to progress. There will be huge queues on Tuesday impeding reconstruction. Examination of this will take place tomorrow in Nadi Town Council Chamber meeting at 0900hrs.

Protection Rackets and Threats said...

Allen:

The "video oulets" are owned and run by Organised Crime. This has long been known. They are 'protected'. And guess who assists protect them? You are quite smart enough to know. This is impunity of a high order. The protection is operating at the highest level imaginable. Proof? The threats and they are serious threats.

Do the protectors drink JW Blue Label?

Quite likely!

Easter Promise to the Children of Fiji said...

Not only is the enforcement of the law weak. IMPUNITY rules through deterrent threats from the highest executive level. These threats are
"up close and personal". You had better believe it!

There will be no moratorium on the Pursuit of Crime. Not while those of us who have spent the past twelve years of our lives in pursuit of the greed of organised criminals in Fiji. Each time our efforts are thwarted by threats, we are energised. Our task will continue apace. The Deep Pockets take notice! The monies you glibly launder are now surveilled. The filth that you sell (abusing our young people) will eventually bring you down. Our children are to be inviolate to abuse. Their fuures secure.

An Easter Promise for the All The Children of Fiji!

Surcharge the Association of Banks in Fiji said...

The GM of one particular bank was invited to attend the NCCI Meeting at 0900 on Monday. He failed - along with all his partner banks (they operate in Fiji as a cartel, always have).

So, what are we to make of an Association of Banks and Bankers who fail to turn up in a Declared State of Disaster? A National Emergency in which thousands are suffering? Today, in the Business Section of a particular Namaka Bank (in which I hold personal and business accounts) there was such a swill of people it was almost impossible to enter at 10.30hrs. There were thirteen people ahead in the Business Section alone. Most carrying large bags or suitcases of cash which had to be counted. This is Dark Ages Banking! Overseas, years ago, banks opened not only on Saturdays for an hour or two: they were OPEN ALL DAY. Even on Sunday, some banks open. That is how things work now in the Global Economy. They even open on Fridays: Good Friday or any other Friday.

But action should be taken against these banks. They ought to be surcharged and handsomely for their failure to respond to an emergency situation with increasingly desperate people who simply want to access their own money (corporate or personal). And they want to do so before the next Tropical Low moves over from Vanuatu. It is already on the radar.

Banking Dysfunction continues said...

The banks in Namaka are still packed and it is obvious that customers are having to wait for impossibly long periods to be served. Is this reasonable? Or rational? Why should people have to travel all the way to Lautoka to be properly served with access to banking services after days of closure due to Easter and, earlier, days of closure due to Flash Floods. Will the banks in Nadi and Namaka open tomorrow Saturday - all day to make up for the days lost? We shall see.

Grog swiper said...

I enjoy Alan's writing but from his picture, looks like he has to cut down on the yaqona!