A Biased Fiji Times Management?

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Grey Power Editor

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Dear Grey Power Editor,
A Selina Fotu of Nasinu wrote a letter to the Editor which was published in the Fiji Times today (25/8/11) on the changes proposed by the FNPF Board and Government to our pensions.
What we found surprising was that a letter about the FNPF was actually published by the Fiji Times when pensioners’ letters have not been published at all on any FNPF subject. Moreover, a paid advertisement from fijipensioners Grey Power advertising our website was refused last week by the Fiji Times on the ground that its lawyers had advised not to publish it.
When queried, the Fiji Times pleaded the subjudice rule, that is, that the issue is before the court. Yet Ms Fotu’s letter supporting the proposed changes by the FNPF is published. We wonder- just where is Fiji Times coming from? Self-censorship? As we used to say in the good old days, ‘(Fiji Times), you’ve come a long way, baby!’.
Let us now deal with Ms Fotu’s letter to the Fiji Times editor.

Smile, it costs Nothing

24 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Daily Humour

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Smile 1
An elderly lady in a nursing home had a habit of lifting the front of her nightgown and saying, “Super sex.”   She walked up to an elderly gentleman who was wearing a hearing aid.  She lifted the front of her nightgown and said, “Super sex.”  The elderly chap thought for a moment and then said, “I think I’ll have the soup.” 

Smile 2
A couple arranged for an elderly aunt to move into a retirement home.  The staff welcomed her on her arrival and sat her on a large comfortable settee in a communal lounge.  After a while the old lady began slowly to lean to one side.   Almost immediately a nurse rushed up an put a large cushion by her side.  Gradually the old lady began to lean to the other side.  Almost immediately a nurse rushed up and propped the old lady up with another large cushion by her other side.  In the evening the young couple visited the old lady and asked her anxiously how she was settling in.  “It’s fine,” she said, “but they won’t let you fart.”

 It’s hard to be nostalgic when you can’t remember anything.

IHC moved for resolution of pensioners’ problems

24 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Articles & Reports

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ISLAMABAD –  The Human Rights Association of Pakistan on Wednesday submitted a writ petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the resolution of the problems faced by retired people in obtaining pension. Human Rights Association President M Kowkab Iqbal argued in the petition that the financial support to the needy was being provided under the Benazir Income Support Programme at their doorsteps, but the people who had served the country for a considerable period of their life had to stand in queues for long hours to receive their pension.
“They are old people and the government should not dishonour them by making them wait in long queues outside banks and other relevant places, which is a violation of Article 9 of the constitution,” she contended. Making the government of Pakistan a respondent, the petitioner asked the court to take notice of the issue. The court accepted the writ petition for a regular hearing to be held on the coming Friday.

GOING GREY – Silver Ribbon Campaign

22 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by in Grey Power Editor

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fijipensioners Grey Power today launched its Silver Ribbon Campaign in support of the right of FNPF pensioners to receive their full pensions from the FNPF.

In support of our claims to our contracted pensions, our dignity, our self-respect, and our self-reliance, grey-power has initiated a ‘ribbon campaign’ such as those for breast cancer (pink) and HIV/AIDS (red). The majority of pensioners polled have chosen silver-grey. Grey ribbon is not so easy to find, but silver is – and it sparkles and shines just the way we pensioners do!
Silver is appropriate for silver-surfer-grey-power people. All you need is a few metres of silver ribbon and a few safety pins to make yourself, your family and friends this symbol of what grey-power stands for – respect for our many years of contribution to society, our nurturing of the next generation, and our accumulated knowledge and wisdom.
We should wear our ribbons as we go about our business, especially over the coming weekends; on Saturday mornings when we shop, Saturday afternoons when taking part in leisure activities, and Saturday evenings when out for dinner or visiting friends. On Sundays when church-going, playing golf, boating or any of the many other recreational pursuits we silver-surfers enjoy – and hope to be able to enjoy in the future. Whatever we are doing at weekends, we can wear our silver ribbons with pride.
And when we are asked what the ribbon signifies, we can say that during our working years, we looked forward to our two days, or one and a half days, or one day off – and we worked hard, and saved, secure in the knowledge that eventually we would be rewarded with a pension that would enable us to enjoy a permanent weekend of leisure for the rest of our lives. A pension we earned, and to which our employers contributed.
We can explain that our compulsory security contract is now threatened, and that whatever they are told or promised, their pensions too are under threat. That in Fiji, a legally binding contractual agreement is at risk of being negated. And that if one contract can be decreed null and void, then all contracts are in jeopardy.
This is all about ‘going grey’. If you don’t have anything grey to wear to court, go shopping. There are plenty of tops covered in silver ‘bling’ these days – and if you can’t find something you like there is always the fun of an ‘op shop’ treasure hunt. So go-go-go for it silver-surfers – get out there sporting your ribbons in support of the cause! 

From Tuesday, August 23rd 2011 supporters of fijipensioners Grey Power and the David Burness v FNPF and AG case will be wearing silver ribbons and clothing and encouraging others to do the same.

Go Grey Power! 

A Fish Story

19 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by in Articles & Reports

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A guy who lives at Lake Saint Marys

(60 miles north of Dayton, OH ) saw a ball bouncing

around kind of strange in the lake and went to

investigate.

It turned out to be a flathead catfish that had

apparently tried to swallow a basketball which

became stuck in its mouth!!

The fish was totally exhausted from trying to

dive, but unable to, because the ball would

always bring him back up to the surface.

The guy tried numerous times to get the ball out,

but was unsuccessful. He finally had his wife cut

the ball in order to deflate it and release the hungry

catfish.

You probably wouldn’t have believed this,

if you hadn’t seen the following pictures:
Continue reading →

A Summary of FNPF Pensioners Rights

19 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by in Articles & Reports

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Fiji Pensioner:
Why are you insisting on reducing our pensions by 64% ?

 FNPF: Muppet Management
We cannot pay you your full pensions anymore because we have wasted your funds on bad investments made by Muppet Management (water under the bridge), yes the Fiji government has loans of 2 billion dollars, but don’t ask when they can repay it or the interest, its none of your business. Anyway you have lived too long and taken more than we think you should. Plus you are a burden on society now and should be put out to pasture.

Fiji Pensioner:
But it is our money, which is money that has been paid into the Fund by members from pay deductions and their employers. We pensioners all signed individual contracts for an agreed sum for the remainder of our lives. Some of us receive more than others, but these people had higher incomes, paid much higher taxes during their careers helping to maintain government services and other services to the communities- for example your scholarship to study; helping build roads and services and so on. These documents we signed at the point of retirement must mean something!

FNPF: Muppet Management
Your contracts mean NOTHING, the Government appointed the Board members and supports us Muppets, and it can make  laws or do reviews to change the law as we propose to do. None of us care about what you did for our country or how much you paid in the past, you have lived far too long. Why don’t you read the expensive advertisements we keep putting in the daily newspapers on our version of why we cannot afford to pay your pensions.

Fiji Pensioner:
We have read your advertisements and concluded they are a waste of OUR money, they do not propose any rectification measures to your incompetent management, and they only give reasons to support cutting pension payments.
Why are we never consulted, why have we never seen the results of an audit, or the reports into the operations of the FNPF?. Why do we the members not have a say in the appointment of people who control OUR investment? We should have some rights.

FNPF: Muppet Management
We don’t need to ask your opinion, or answer your questions, we have the support of the Government; the Government loves us, because we keep giving them your money. Why don’t you stop asking difficult questions? Just bugger off and die, we have might on our side, and who gives a damn about rights? What rights? Old people don’t have rights- get real!

Is this really the end of a very sad story? It is up to you. 

Grey Power