First impressions aren’t always accurate. But in my first days here I have been struck by the extent of trauma people have experienced – and real worries that the violence that has rocked South Sudan since mid-December may not be over. The capital of Juba is calm, but it is only “outwardly” so, one of Read more
In a meeting room under Holy Name Cathedral, a rapt group of black Roman Catholics listened as Barack Obama, a 25-year-old community organiser, trained them to lobby their fellow delegates to a national congress in Washington on issues like empowering lay leaders and attracting more believers. “He so quickly got us,” said Andrew Lyke, a Read more
At our school we have a motto; ‘Opere Et Veritate’ or ‘In word and in deed.’ It calls on us as students to put our words into actions, a concept that seems simple but often is not undertaken. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis as we know him, has been dubbed by not only the Read more
In recent days, the Ukrainian peninsula has been at the heart of what some have described as the greatest international crisis of the 21st century. But this is not the first time the region has been so critical to international affairs. Many educated people have at least heard of the great struggle known as the Read more
The first ever National Minimum Wage in Fiji was announced by the Minister for Labour, Mr Jone Usamate last Wednsday. Former wages council chairman and poverty alleviation advocate Fr Kevin Barr has welcomed the Fiji government’s announcement that the country’s minimum wage rate at has been set at $2 per hour. However he thinks it it Read more
Much attention has been given to the pope’s concern for the poor, which was reflected in his choice of Francis as his papal name. But as Pope Francis explained to journalists three days after his election, he also chose the name Francis because St. Francis of Assisi is “the man of peace. … He is the man Read more
The humorist Robert Benchley said, “A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance and to turn around three times before lying down.” Going round in circles may or may not be beneficial, though it seems an apt description of much of what we do. And our runaround is not always, or even often, followed by relaxation. Read more
“The kumara does not tell of how sweet it is” says an old Maori proverb. For Funaki Vehekite, 53, the sweet potato is all the sweeter because it allows him to support his family and keep his five children in school. At his farm in Tongatapu, Tonga’s largest island, he also produces food crops such as kape, Read more
Several years ago, an energetic young mother, Tia, was out and about with her infant Aimee when disaster struck: a group of men, accompanied by vicious dogs, surrounded the pair, snatched up Aimee, and brutalised Tia. They left her helpless and without her daughter. Aimee was eventually rescued. But Tia was too battered to look Read more
The Treasury has dumped a monsoon bucketful of scorn on the campaign for a living wage. But the case for such a campaign withstands the deluge. In a report released last Friday, the Treasury argues the “living wage is not well targeted at the intended demographic of low-income families”. It thinks the $18.40 an hour Read more