Manoa Kamikamica yesterday likened the state of Fiji inherited by the Coalition Government in 2022 to Nabukalou Creek at high tide—appearing attractive on the surface but revealing deep underlying problems once the water recedes.
Speaking during the 2026-2027 National Budget debate in Parliament, Kamikamica used the analogy to argue that the previous administration had masked serious governance and financial issues.
“When this side of the House took over Government, we realised that we had inherited something akin to Nabukalou Creek at high tide—looking very beautiful, another story when the tide goes out,” he said.
Kamikamica said the Coalition inherited what he described as a weakened democracy, claiming that many of the country’s key institutions had deteriorated under the previous government.
He said the Great Council of Chiefs no longer existed, the Pacific Islands Forum was facing the threat of fragmentation, and the civil service was under-resourced, fearful and lacked the empowerment needed to function effectively.
According to Kamikamica, public servants had also gone years without adequate support.
“The civil service had not received a raise since 2017. Teachers, doctors and nurses’ salaries needed addressing.”
He further claimed the Coalition uncovered widespread governance failures after taking office, saying financial accountability had weakened and several government entities had gone unaudited for as long as a decade.
“We had some entities in Government that had not been audited in the last 10 years.”
Kamikamica also accused the former government of wasteful spending, citing unpaid tax rebates, the Walesi project, the Lautoka swimming pool, Sukuna Park, the incomplete Labasa campus and retrospective changes to capital gains tax.
He estimated that almost $1 billion had been squandered under the previous administration.
“In my estimate, almost $1 billion was squandered quite easily by the former government.”
His remarks came as Parliament continued debate on the 2026-2027 National Budget, with government and opposition members sharply divided over the country’s economic record and fiscal direction.
