Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made a powerful statement yesterday, sounding a warning to people who want to exploit our waters.
He has placed traffickers and illegal fishers on notice.
Opening the Australian Government-funded $120million Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre in Lami yesterday, Mr Rabuka said it would serve as a hub for regional coordination, supporting combined and joint operations, information-sharing with Pacific neighbours and international partners.
He spoke about confronting what he termed increasingly complex challenges across our Blue Pacific, and building national capabilities, and our collective resilience as a region.
“Our message to the traffickers and illegal fishers that seek to exploit Fiji, is that we are watching you and we will get you,” he said.
The opening of the centre, he said, marked a bold step forward “in our journey to protect our maritime domain, enhance regional cooperation, and safeguard our collective future”.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles described the project as an incredible achievement over the course of two years.
“More than 1400 contracts were signed with Fiji and partners for the delivery of this facility, and 275 jobs were created in the building of this facility,” he said.
We say the creation of the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre is more than just an infrastructural development. It is a practical, strategic investment in our security and our future as an oceanic nation. The challenges of our time, ranging from trafficking, illegal fishing, climate threats, and the growing interest of external powers in our waters, require us to be vigilant and united.
For too long, our region has struggled with responses to maritime threats.
Let’s face it, each country has made valiant efforts within its limited capacity, but the scale and sophistication of illegal activities in the Pacific often outpace national responses.
Traffickers and illegal fishers are increasingly organised, operating across jurisdictions and exploiting the gaps between our systems. Regional unity is essential.
The Vuvale Centre embodies that principle of unity. By housing the Fiji Navy, Police, Customs, Fisheries, the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, and the Hydrographic Office under one roof, it ensures that information is shared, decisions are faster, and responses are coordinated. The symbolism is as strong as the practicality. Our agencies will operate side by side, with a shared mission.
But this facility’s strength does not stop at our borders. Its role as a regional coordination hub gives our neighbours confidence that they are not alone.
Hopefully it will send a strong signal to those who wish to exploit our collective resources, that the Pacific stands together. Unity has always been our greatest strength.
The facility also reflects the value of trusted partnerships. As Mr Rabuka reminded us, the threats we face are complex, but they are not insurmountable. With unity, coordination, and resilience, we can protect what is ours, enforce our laws, and safeguard the resources that sustain our people.
The Centre is also a reminder for us. It reminds us that security must be guarded, strengthened, and renewed through cooperation. It reminds us that in the Pacific, no nation can stand alone.
In the end, this is about protecting our identity, our sovereignty, and our way of life.
