FIJI’S upcoming National Development Plan (NDP) 2025-2029 and Vision 2050 will use data-driven indicators to monitor the performance of all government policies.
This was revealed by Assistant Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel in his speech during World Statistics Day celebrations at the Fiji Bureau of Statistics headquarters in Vatuwaqa last week (Monday Oct 20). He said the Government had, for the first time, embedded baseline data and output indicators into its planning systems.
“Our National Development Plan 2025 to 2029 and Vision 2050 contain baseline output Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), data and statistics on each Government policy and strategy in the NDP,” he said.
These datasets, he added, would be continuously monitored and evaluated to measure whether policy interventions were effective and efficient.
“We plan to monitor and evaluate these datasets over time to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of each policy intervention.”
Mr Immanuel said the use of clear, measurable data would strengthen transparency and accountability across government ministries and that more than 50 “Implementation Books” had already been compiled through consultations with ministries and agencies to track outputs and outcomes.
He said reliable statistics are not “numbers on spreadsheets” but powerful tools that allow governments to track national progress and make informed decisions about public investments.
Mr Immanuel also relayed Cabinet’s approval of the review of the 1961 Fiji Statistical Act to align the country’s data laws with current national and international standards.
He said the Act was outdated and no longer reflected the country’s complex development landscape.
“The Cabinet has approved the review of our 1961 Fiji Statistical Act.
“The changes Fiji experienced over the past six decades, and our current context, are far more different and complex.”
Mr Immanuel said the review process would include wide consultations led by the Fiji Islands Bureau of Statistics to ensure the new law supports national priorities.
“I understand that the Bureau has begun comprehensive stakeholder consultations on the Act.”
He said the revised law would strengthen the independence and credibility of the Bureau, improve data governance, and promote transparency in national statistics.
Modernising the Act, Mr Immanuel added, would also enable better use of digital technology in data collection and storage, supporting evidence-based decision-making across government.
