Lockington's "New Year" Honours List

We will soon say goodbye to 2010 and welcome 2011. Some of us may make resolutions and some may just carry on with their lives. A lot of people have contributed to rebuilding our beloved country and moved on with their lives despite the hardships. Here is a list of people whom I thought were worthy of a mention in my humble list. For sure your list may differ from mine because we see things differently, but here goes. The list is (almost) alphabetical. 

 

♦ Shamima Ali, advocate for women’s rights and child abuse.  Your tireless efforts in bringing to light what went on unreported and the suffering of women and children was thrown out in the open and men who thought that hitting their wives was their prerogative were made to relies that violence against women and children is a crime.  

♦ Father Kevin Barr, a tireless advocate in our quest to alleviate poverty. Despite the many criticisms you toiled nevertheless. 

♦ Praveen Bala, Lautoka’s first citizen also brought back to move Lautoka forward, experienced, hard working your experience will take Lautoka back on what it was like to be the Sugar City that I knew. You too have shown that politics is not the driving force to get things done, it’s the go within you, the edge you have over others, the will to succeed and make Lautoka a better place. It can not be done overnight, but you are getting there. Many of us notice your handiwork. 

♦ Seremaia Burotu, our ironman of Sevens rugby. You are an inspiration to young ruggers with your strength, sand humble nature you are speed you are sensational to watch. 

♦ Danny Costello, evergreen musician, song writer, humble, never say die perfectionist, your music will live on when others have faded away. With your unique calypso style, you have shown musicians that music   you can have your own style and sound and one doesn’t have to copy others.

♦ Paulini Curuenavuli, song bird, sweet voiced and successful, you went to heights in the music world, and told budding musicians that it is possible to make it big time.

♦ Viliame Duanabua, being imprison didn’t mean that your life is wasted and nothing. You kicked up a brush and put on canvas what you have in your heart. For many, prisons can be the end of the road, not for you. Despite what wrong you may have done and ended up in prison, you have shown us and other inmates that there is life despite the iron bars and that there is talent within each of us. You have been given an opportunity please use it the best of your capability. After his be an inspiration to all.

♦ The late James Dutta, Fiji's number 1 salesperson. You gave the poor an opportunity to own something with the easy access account. May you rest in peace.

♦ Egelese Ete, maestro extraordinaire, music teacher, bringing to us the wonders of opera like we’ve only seen on the big screen. I feel you achieved what many people thought couldn’t be done.  Original Fijian operas, who knew it could be done. Perhaps you recognized the abundance of talent in Fiji and said, “Hey, why not, let’s give it a go.” And soon we will go international.  

♦ Jarryd Hayne, powerful, elusive, fast, Fijian at heart, you showed young rugby league players that top class rugby and fame is possible with perseverance and turning a new leaf in life and making it big time.

♦ Farook Janeman, old soccer warhorse, I grew up hearing the name Janeman and now that I am in my older years you are still doing what you love. Looking back in history you were one fine soccer player and I bet you can still beat the younger generation and you now give back to the sport by way of sharing your skills with soccer players.

♦ Joseph Kwadjo from Ghana, a champion boxer who chose Fiji as his second home to fly Fiji’s flag when he stepped into the ring. 

♦ Aslam Khan, I salute you for your perseverance in what suddenly became a competitive situation in the mobile telephone world. Despite the competition you ran a company that made the people happy, you gave back to the community, sigh, despite the complaints from some customers that the free calls and texts had a use by date you persisted. Where people should be thankful they chose to look on the negative not dwelling on the positive.

♦ Archbishop Petero Mataca, despite your calling you stepped up, despite the criticism from your very flock,   to lend a hand in healing our nation without politics. Your calmness and experience in your calling lent a hand to those who found the going tough amidst world criticism.

♦ Ioane Naivalurua, having just come on to the political and public scene, you brought with you professionalism never seen in the police and prison services. You gave rehabilitation of prisoners a new direction. 

♦ Merewalesi Nailatikau, elegant, articulate, knowledgeable,   well spoken, you set such a high bench mark for pageant winners, that I can only say, Fiji will benefit.

♦ Hasmukh Patel, CEO of the Fiji Electricity Authority of Fiji, the helm of our power supplier is not easy to hold on to. With soaring price of fuel and lack of rain push costs way up high. You too lived with criticism in an industry that may have been ailing from decades ago. You held on and kept disruptions to a minimum and continue to supply us power.  

♦ Gabriel Qoro, netball coach, a man in a world where only women used to excel. Take us to another level   in world ranking and stamp your mark.

♦ Vonoriki Radua, (body builder) at 65 you showed us that a strict life style centered on keeping a well chiseled body is not impossible. Many at you age have hung up their boots and stored way their dumb bells yet you are a shining example of Addidas’ adage, Impossible is nothing.

♦ Premila Singh, for standing up for our consumer rights, for being the voice of the silent majority who go about each day unaware of what goes on in price tagging offices.

♦ Netani Rika, experienced newsman, I loved your articles when you used to have a column in the Sunday papers. You stood your ground never bowing to pressure and never wavered from what you believed in. While many changed their stance, you remained steadfast. I admire you for that. 

♦ Dixon Seeto, the tourism industry may be hurt but you had Fiji as a fine destination of swaying palm trees and white sandy beaches in your mind and kept Fiji alive on the world map and sold that thought together with your team in the tourism industry. I too hope that in the not too distant future Fiji will be the way the world should be. 

♦ Mili Turner, what can I say, you are indeed an inspiration, age is no barrier for staying fit and competing and at an age where many are bed ridden or starting to wane, your flame burns bright amongst sports personalities, lifting weights   that many of us couldn’t even think of.

♦ Iliesa Tanivula, rugby player turned coach, despite the many criticisms you carried on nevertheless.  The new year beckons; perhaps you have an ace up your sleeve that will take us back to number 1 in Sevens rankings. It has been said that you will only ever excel in taking us to the quarter finals and the semis. I put my money on you that you will better. I hope this will inspire you.  

♦ Banuve Tabakaucoro, fastest young man in Fiji, where ever you go to compete you take the face of a youthful Fiji and fly our flag up high, beating competitors who have the best facilities that we sometimes dream of. You made use of your talent and with your coaches you inspire young athletes that talents combined with raw talent you can be one of the best in the world.

♦ Chandra Umaria, first citizen of Suva, brought back to take Suva forward. With your experience as a leading city father, Suva has benefitted from you experience. Politics used to live in our municipalities; you have shown us that we don’t need politics to get things done.

♦ Laisa Vulakoro, you gave up a good job to take our Kulawai volley ball team which won gold. You put your fellow citizens first and you second. It paid dividends; your sacrifice was well worth it. We need many Laisa Vulakoros who will not look at their personal gain but that of others. Your biggest gain could be the satiation of seeing a job well-done.

♦ Anonymous blogger. I have to admire is the anonymous blogger who chose to go underground and voice his or her opinion and still be heard, while I don’t really like your style, I take my hat of to you.

The list can be longer but these are a just a few people who caught my attention. Not all may be inspirations but they may have touched the hearts and lives of the people of Fiji and done something however so little and contributed to our going back to the way the world should be.

♦ Oh, and before I forget, this is to our very own Prime Minster Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, I have to say that if you had been a diplomat, (I say this as a compliment), you would have bowed down to the pressures of our so called big brother countries who may have given us aid galore and also thought that it entitled them to having a say in how we ran things. You didn’t bow down to Fiji Water when they threatened to close down. You told Australia and New Zeeland’s ambassadors, “Hey look mate we will run our country, I know my people, let me and my people do it. You don’t know the Fijian people like I do.” And despite all the criticism and threats of sanctions you carried on. And we went east. Things won’t happen over night, I know that, and I am for moving Fiji forward, sitting and moping and twiddling my thumbs will not fix things. My children and grandchildren need a bright future and I can assist by rolling up my sleeves and doing something.

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