No Government Funds Used There

Apologies to Fiji’s Department of Public Works.

In July, describing the cement roofing of the new terminal ling at Nadi airport, we praised the work of the Department’s , in carrying a big job to completion well before schedule time.

And then we said that, on May 29, some 250 of the toilers were mraged to make wassail — music, and drinks and very good food — that the whole cost of the luncheon was borne by the workers’ mess funds, plus a modest contribution from officialdom.

Officialdom has reacted somewhat strongly—it doesn’t want to In it. “Neither official funds nor official time were used in lection with the party,” it announces, indignantly.

We did not mean to say that Government funds had thus been ■lessly squandered—although it would have been a praiseworthy g if the Department HAD made such a gesture—the staff had led it. What we had intended to convey — delicately—was that '■ctor John Common, and his team of helpers, dug into their own tets to build up funds for the party, and express their personal iks to the labourers and technicians.

Next time, we’ll lay it on with a trowel!