Dear Ms Smith-Johns 

The following is a copy of an email dated  11 September 2011 that I forwarded to Mr Kodagoda the Chairman of the Fiji National Provident Fund.  I have not had any response to this email.  The contents of the email are self explanatory. 

Since forwarding this email I have seen news items about FNPF, FNPF advertisements, and letters to the editor about the proposed reforms and I have  spoken with the Fiji Times and they advise sometimes the censors let FNPF items through for publication and other times they will not permit them. 

I would be grateful if you could advise if, we the pensioners who are going to be disadvantaged by the proposed reforms, may have our views expressed in the media either through news items or paid advertisements, and if not,  why not. 

Thank you for your assistance. 

Yours sincerely 

RG McDonald
(Pensioner)

There has been no response from MS Smith-Johns
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Lest we Forget ?, How very sad, it seems a great many of us, including people who like to regard themselves as leading citizens of our Nation already have.

There was a time when almost every shop or certainly the leading retailers had a Poppy Appeal box for Remembrance Day, to remember all those who had fallen not only in the first World War but those who have given their lives in conflicts since. The monies raised goes to Armed Forces Charities throughout the world.

Here in Fiji particularly in the West, very few seem to care, included in the list of don’t cares were market leaders, Carpenters, Jacks, Tappoos, Motibhais and of course all the Supermarkets owned by Prasads, Patels etc.

I know this because I went to each of these companies in an attempt to make a donation and collect a small paper Poppy to signify I remembered and I cared.

Finally I went to Nadi International Airport because I thought major outlets there that cream profits from International travelers were bound to have a Poppy Appeal even though they did not personally profit from the exercise. Again disappointment, the staff at the leading store did not even know what Armistice or Remembrance Day was. Lest we Forget, what a joke.. But if their properties or lives were ever endangered, these would be the first people to scream for protection from the military, any military..

Finally I found a donation point at Airports Fiji Ltd Information Desk, their management which includes a Singaporean Chinese are to be congratulated, and I was later advised that Dulux offices had an appeal box, but sadly these are outnumbered by the greedy, self centered, self serving who simply no longer care, if they ever did..
RTR 

LEST WE FORGET

Dear Mr Kodagoda and associates 

Further to my earlier emails to which I have not received a reply, you may have seen media reports that I will be retiring on 31 March 2012 and so from that date I will be very dependant on my pension for income.  I will be a pensioner in the full sense of the word.

With no thanks to you gentlemen after some forty years of contributing and looking forward to retirement, it now seems  from your contradictory press reports that if the reforms go through, I will receive less than half of my existing pension to fund my retirement.  This sadly will cause considerable adjustment in the life style of my wife and I.

Whilst I only know two of you gentlemen personally I was just wondering what your broader list of friends and relatives who are existing pensioners must be thinking of you when they see it is you who are responsible for them receiving a lower pension, that will directly cause them hardship and grief as they struggle to survive on their reduced pension income.

I can  understand the difficult position you are placed in as you will know deep down that the suggested reforms are wrong.  The sensible way through and of course the honourable thing  for you all to do is to resign your positions.  This way you will clear your conscience and salvage your friendships and restore respect with relatives and the broader community.

I urge you to resign now. It is the honourable thing to do.

Yours sincerely,
RG McDonald