In the face of rising speculation about fractures within the People’s Coalition Government, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed concerns over internal instability.
In an interview with The Fiji Times as part of its A Conversation with the PM series, Mr Rabuka responded to criticism raised by concerned citizen Samu Silatolu of Nakasi, who questioned whether ongoing tensions – rooted in the controversial 2013 Constitution, were stalling the nation’s democratic journey.
“While some people see instability, I see opportunity,” the Prime Minister said.
“Opportunity to rise above the difficulty, talk it over, talanoa, sort out what needs sorting, remove what needs removing and move on. Isn’t this what democracy is about?”
The PM’s comments come in response to growing public unease over the coalition’s internal cohesion, following a turbulent first two years in office marked by disputes involving key political figures and State institutions.
Mr Silatolu, in his letter to the editor, pointed to a litany of national challenges from SODELPA’s pivotal role in government formation, to legal wrangles involving the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), constitutional legitimacy debates, and the controversial Commission of Inquiry (COI) report.
“Almost all of the national issues we are confronting today, one way or the other, originated from the 2013 Constitution, in my opinion,” Mr Silatolu wrote.
