The prayer was circulated in 1970 as Fiji moved to Independence. It contains hopeful and ambitious sentiments that I am sure everyone in Fiji would have said "Amen" to at the time, and probably still would.
Sadly, as we all now know, there were, and still are, many whose hearts were not in the words, however pious their expressions as they intoned them and said their AMEN or EMENI at the end. At this troubled time, though, the words are worth looking at again, and really taken to heart. -- Rod Ewins
A Prayer for Fiji
Almighty God, whose way is in the sea and whose paths are in the great waters, we ask you to bless our country as it prepares for independence. Grant to our leaders of every race and creed and party sure wisdom and pure purpose, and inspire our many peoples with calmness and self restraint, that we may live as members of your family in true fellowship within our common heritage, now and in the years to come. Amen.
Thank you to readers for their best wishes
Here are some of them:
Wishing you and yours a very happy Christmas and hoping you'll take some time off - at least four days! - to enjoy it. I'm sure you'll be "at it" again once the dust settles on another New Year though.
Thanking you for your immense contribution to freedom-of-information for our beloved Viti and its people, and wishing you a good year and relaxing Christmas.
Never mind the odd barb. I think you're a national treasure. Vinaka and may God bless you and your family in your quest for the truth.
Croz, I think you're to be highly commended for the moderate and even handed way you've reported these positive advances for Fiji in recent days. Contrary to some of the criticism you've been getting, you've reported the developments faithfully, accurately and with no sense of triumphalism.
I hope your family has been well for the year and will be for the next, and I hope that brain and social conscience of yours are giving you no peace and allowing you no respite from work.
Vinegar vakalevu to those who sent especially
nasty brickbats during the year
Here are some of the choice ones:
croz walsh is a fascist super annuatiant who sucks money out of the usp super fund and the nz tax payer whilst preaching his virtue. that's why he is un-heard of beyond his own ego mast******** blog.
Croz, Are you still beating your wife? You heap abuse on every Fijian but are just a cowardly piece of racist sh**.
Croz, Am surprised the illegal regime in Fiji has not offered you a job as you do such a great job apologising for their lies and deceit. You have passed your used by date of credibility and integrity. Am one Fijian dying to tell it to your face when I ever see your face in my country of Fiji.
Croz, one wonders whether you are an idiot. Then you hit the keyboard and confirm it.
Croz, You are dribbling down your chin.
Is croz walsh impotent, or does he really get jollies by acting the white prof here?
The ego has landed. A retired, barely published second rate geography teacher from a third rate university ... Grow up man.
Oscar Wilde said, " Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much." This poses a problem for to forgive and not to forgive would be uncharitable, so I'll leave it at that.
The blog over Christmas-New Year
For the past year I've published at least one, and more usually up to six, short items every day from Monday to Friday, and longer and generally more analytical articles in the Weekend Readings posted, together with Allen Lockington's regular column, on Saturdays.
For this holiday period, postings will be fewer and less regular — unless something exceptional occurs.
I wish all readers, their friends and families, and all friends of a fairer Fiji, a relaxed and peaceful Christmas-New Year break. Remembering that —
“Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice."
WEEKEND READING. ♦ Allen Lockington column ♦ Links to Wikileaks on Fiji.
5 comments:
All the best - and thanks for such an informative blog. I am astonished by the insults - from people who proclaim to support "free speech"??
Croz,
Thank you for your sanity, your patience and your caring heart. Like you, there are countless others who share the faith that a better Fiji beckons - if only we manifest the will to get the fundamentals right. That I believe is what this government has been working hard to do.
Through your blog many have come to appreciate this government's plans and some of its achievements and seen through the false rumours propogated by those driven by who knows what. Some have also had the opportunity to echo their concerns - through your blog - where government's decisions and actions appear ill-informed. You yourself have voiced numerous 'criticisms' but always in a measured tone underpinned by thoughtfulness.
All in all, you Croz have set the platform for considerate and logical discussion on Fiji's forward progress. In the process, I believe, you have nullified the impact of the anti-bloggers and given government some breathing space. Thank you for that!
Croz, keep up the good fight! 2011 is probably going to be another slug-fest with the anti-bloggers. As always, i expect you come out on top!
On that note let me wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Vinaka!
Croz I respect bloggers, however the difference between good bloggers and mediocre ones is the good ones are brave enough to post their picture.
With all due respect to Allen (A. Lockington).
Although, Allen's numerous blogs are regurgitated by Croz'z blog postings, it does NOT give legal standing for Allen. L to embellish & poison the well; for other blog postings that feature the subject of Fiji.
Furthermore. it would be prudent for Allen.L to seriously brush up on his grammar in his numerous blog postings, to present and demonstrate an acceptable level of understanding, for the readers who are not familiar with his tacky and broken English euphemisms; loosely worded to construct a sentence, sans verb, noun and subject.
@ Jambalaya..and "poisoning of the well"
That is a truly descriptive and graphic metaphor and it serves to embellish our thinking about what must be done to enhance our imaginations and our curiosity. The well was effectively poisoned in Fiji when concepts like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme fell into disuse. Outward Bound is a wonderful concept which teaches leadership, toughness of mind, body and will and assists us all to look out for each other and to work as a team. Team Fiji fell out of kilter somehow. In the rampage on Parliament in 2000 it showed the entire world that Fiji was essentially dysfunctional and its institutions "were shot". Those who were leading us had forgotten how. Lead from the front: lead by example. We were led on both counts into chaos. Ten years on we need the values of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme again in Schools and in Universities. There are many in Fiji who have benefitted from this training. It must be revitalised and offered to young people no matter their means.
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