Despite the FijiFirst government’s often touted “consecutive years of economic growth”, the nation fell well short of its potential for sustainable development, equitable distribution of returns, and overarching economic performance due to a range of unresolved inefficiencies which remain unaddressed even following their identification, states a report by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Titled ‘Study on Draft National Strategy for Electrification of Public Transport for Fiji’ the report states with each passing year, risk factors involving macroeconomic destabilisation continue to increase, and Fiji continues to undermine its position of resilience.
The report stated Fiji could not afford to be on the “business-as-usual” trajectory if it wanted to adopt electrification of public transport.
“Fiji has a public transport sector with a distinctly diverse composition of ownership, operation, and geographic coverage across a number of modes,” the report stated. “Introduction of new technology and differently scaled solutions will increase this complexity, which will only arise in additional complications and inefficiencies unless coordinated planning and action result as an outcome of reflecting upon this strategic document.
“Increased fuel import costs, and diminishing return on investment in an increasingly constricted market.
“There is no such thing as a free market; there are only poorly regulated markets, and well-regulated markets.
“It is imperative that the public sector provide a clear direction for the private sector to respond to, and a synthesis of capabilities be generated as a consequence in order to meet the needs of civil society more broadly, enriching the ability of the most marginalised members of Fiji’s citizenry to fulfil their transport needs within public spaces without undue burden.”
