Fiji’s recurring governance failures across multiple sectors stem from deeper issues in leadership character, not technical capacity, the Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations says.
Speaking at the 21st BSP Life Fiji Human Resources Institute Annual Convention in Nadi, Maritino Nemani challenged HR professionals to take greater responsibility in shaping leadership standards.
“When we trace leadership failure back to its origin, we almost never find a technical gap. We find a character gap that nobody in the system was prepared to name or address,” he said.
He pointed to data showing anti-corruption complaints more than doubling in a year — from 318 to 681 — and Fiji’s score of 55 out of 100 on Transparency International’s index as evidence of systemic issues across political, statutory and institutional sectors.
Mr Nemani said these patterns reflect weaknesses in how leaders are selected, prepared and held accountable — areas that fall squarely within the HR profession’s mandate.
He urged HR practitioners to place leadership character at the centre of their work, calling for stronger enforcement of conduct frameworks and greater institutional accountability.
“If we expect high standards of conduct and accountability from individuals representing Fiji, we must demand even higher standards from those who lead our institutions and govern our country,” he said.
Mr Nemani outlined key priorities for the profession, including treating values with the same rigour as technical skills, strengthening leadership development at executive and board levels, and being honest about the cost of inaction.
“The standard we set for leadership must be the floor — not the ceiling,” he said.
“The question is not whether Fiji has a leadership crisis. The question is what we do about it.”
