Author Archives: fijipensioners

Bainimarama’s maiden speech to Parliament

14 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Articles & Reports

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VFB

Frank Bainimarama’s maiden speech to Parliament as Prime Minster of Fiji:

“Madam Speaker, I move that this Parliament thank His Excellency the President for His most gracious speech. It is a great honour for me to make my maiden speech as Prime Minister in this Parliament, having led the Fiji First movement to Victory in last month’s General Election. 

Talking about victory, I wish to formally congratulate our Rugby Seven’s Team for their magnificent victory over Samoa last night to win in the Gold Coast Seven in the IRB World Cup Series. Well done men and Ben Ryan, you have done Fiji proud. Your victory was the icing on the cake after the successful launch of Parliament last week and the Fiji Day Celebrations. 

Madam Speaker, allow me to congratulate you on your election as Speaker. The fact that you are the first woman’s Speaker of any Parliament in Fiji or any Parliament in the Pacific Islands is a huge personal achievement. But it is also highly symbolic, a milestone in the history of our nation and the advancement of Fijian women for equal rights and opportunities. 

Your speech of acceptance last week was a wonderful moment because as you lightly pointed out, the fact that you have assumed this high office will undoubtedly encourage other Fijian women to consider careers in politics. I am sure that all the honourable Members of this House join me in wishing you every success in the role of Speaker. You can be sure of Government’s full cooperation in this Chamber and the conduct of the Parliament’s affairs. 

Madam Speaker, I am also sure that every Member of this House will agree with me when I say that are our two days in the Chamber last week were unforgettable. We have launched our new democracy with dignity and with style. As His Excellency the President reminded us, our ultimate duties as Members of Parliament is to the people who sent us here. And I know from the feedback I have been receiving that what they saw here filled them with pride and optimism for our future. 

As the President also reminded us, this is the Chamber that has seen some of the greatest movements in our history and also some of the worst. There are merciful a few Parliaments in the world where shots have been fired into the ceiling yet that is what happen here on 14th May, 1987 during the first coup. 

I think we all share the President’s view that there is something deeply symbolic about having brought history full circle by returning to this Chamber. Let us all dissolve to draw a line under the past and work together to achieve the future we all know awaits us if we put our nation first. 
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Will I Live to see 80?

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Daily Humour

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geezer

 

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, she said “I was doing fairly well for my age”.

(I am past Seventy ).

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn’t resist asking her, ‘Do you think I’ll live to be 80?’

She asked, ‘Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer, wine or hard liquor?’

‘Oh no,’ I replied. ‘I’m not doing drugs, either!’

Then she asked, ‘Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?’

 ‘I said, ‘Not much… My former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!’

 ‘Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?’

‘No, I don’t,’ I said.

 She asked, ‘Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?’

‘No,’ I said…

She looked at me and said, ‘Then, why do you even give a shit?’

 

A Pensioners Poem

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Remembrance

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old captainI remember the cheese of my childhood,
And the bread that we cut with a knife,
When the children helped with the housework,
And the men went to work not the wife.

The cheese never needed a fridge,
And the bread was so crusty and hot
The children were seldom unhappy
And the wife was content with her lot.

I remember the milk from the bottle,
With the yummy cream on the top,
Our dinner came hot from the oven,
And not from the fridge; in the shop.
The kids were a lot more contented,
They didn’t need money for kicks,
Just a game with their mates in the road,
And sometimes the Saturday flicks.

I remember the shop on the corner,
Where a pen’orth of sweets was sold
Do you think I’m a bit too nostalgic?
Or is it…I’m just getting old?

I remember the ‘loo’ was the lav
And the bogey man came in the night,
It wasn’t the least bit funny
Going “out back” with no light.

The interesting items we perused
From the newspapers cut into squares,
And hung on a peg in the loo,
It took little to keep us amused.

The clothes were boiled in the copper
With plenty of rich foamy suds
But the ironing seemed never ending
As Mum pressed everyone’s ‘duds’.

I remember the slap on my backside,
And the taste of soap if I swore
Anorexia and diets weren’t heard of
And we hadn’t much choice what we wore.

Do you think that bruised our ego?
Or our initiative was destroyed?
We ate what was put on the table
And I think life was better enjoyed.

ANON