The concept of transparency and an open government is still relatively new in Fiji, says Attorney-General Graham Leung.
Speaking about the need to create a strong Right to Information (RTI) law, Mr Leung said moving towards transparency would take time and require input from all sections of society.
He said the law must suit Fiji’s unique population, politics, and ability to handle information properly.
“For many years, much of the government’s work has been done behind closed doors,” he said. “The idea of a transparent and open government is still quite new in this country.”
He explained that in the past, laws were often made with little consultation and quickly put into effect.
“We have to look at a law that is fit for purpose bearing in mind the complexities of our demography, our politics, the capacity of our public service to manage the inflows and outflows of information.”
Mr Leung said it was important to carefully review the 2018 RTI framework to avoid confusion and ensure the law works well.
“All of these will take time to unravel, and it has to be done in an organised, systematic fashion.
“We don’t want to implement this, and it becomes chaotic.
“So, I think when you have consultations across society, especially across political parties, civil society and relevant stakeholders that will really result in laws that are better and more effective and more useful for the people.
“It is no use implementing a law and people do not know what the purposes and objectives of law are about.”
A Pacific RTI workshop began in Suva this week, led by the Fiji Council of Social Services and UNESCO.
The event focuses on improving access to information laws in Fiji and the Pacific, aiming to support fair and open governance.
