FT: Prime Minister, how would you assess your government’s performance halfway into your term?
PM: The Coalition Government’s halfway term was in December 2024, so now 28 months in office, I would say that we have done reasonably well, considering the huge challenges we inherited when we came into government on 24 December 2022. I had said right from day one that the next four years will not be easy given the: very high national debt we inherited; the crumbling state of our infrastructure especially on our roads, buildings and public health facilities and utilities. I believe we have done reasonably well; my emphasis indicates that it has not been a problem-free half.
We started with a system and constitution I believe needed improvements beyond the normal chronological evolution. The improvements need to be made, engineered, to effect the changes we asked our voters to vote us in, to make, but like infested wounds, cleaning needs to first be implemented, then curative measures taken. The civil service has been departmentalised by the constitution and the Public Service Commission has thus become ineffective as a public service governing institution, but more a rubber stamp formalisation of department or ministerial choices – even political parties’ favourite candidates. The changes are more difficult to implement because of the differences in the Coalition manifesto emphases and maintaining cohesion for national interests. There is also the need to balance taxation and budgeting for infrastructure upgrading and reach. Finally, we must not forget, that the Coalition Government came into power immediately after the Global COVID-19 pandemic and its health and economic impacts followed closely by a trans-boarder infiltration and killings on the 7th of October – less than one year after taking office, a ‘trans-boarder incident that grew into global dimensions affecting import and export supplies lines that very quickly increased cost of living, the world over, and so far, has not stabilised. In terms of our party manifesto, all three parties that form the Coalition Government have delivered on majority of those promises. For those promises that are yet to be realised, most of them are related and intertwined with the 2013 Constitution. These include the municipal elections and changes to land and electoral legislation. This is why we Parliament in March this year, and why we will now present this matter before the Supreme Court. Personally, I would have preferred that we had delivered much more, but the enormity of the challenge has slowed much progress.
FT: What are the three key priorities you’re focused on right now for Fiji?
PM: A. Increase resource-based economy as well as people’s incomes by encouraging entrepreneurial and innovative endeavours.
B. Reduce import and loan reliance by encouraging local food production and processing and Renewable Energy production.
C. Reduce taxation by improving national tax base and reducing personal tax burdens.
We had two key priorities when we took office more than two years ago, and these priorities have remained unchanged: repairing and upgrading our public facilities and infrastructure while developing and growing our economy at the same time. These two priorities are being pursued amidst a very high, and unsustainable national debt which is why it has been a hard slug from day one for everyone in government, from my cabinet ministers right down to our civil servants working in our four administrative divisions of Central, Eastern, Northern and Western. While working on these two key priorities, the Coalition Government is determined to, at the same time, create an enabling environment that fosters national reconciliation and national unity. Thanks to the European Union, the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission is now up and running. Work on reviewing our electoral laws have also begun. We have already launched the process of reviewing the 2013 Constitution. In addition to repairing our public infrastructure and growing our economy, we also need to at the same time get the basics right, for Fiji cannot prosper without multi racialism and national unity.
FT: You’ve often spoken about national unity. How is your government working to bridge political and ethnic divides?
PM: I have not only spoken about the need for national unity, but I have actually done a fair amount of work on bringing this about. Fiji now has a four-member Truth and Reconciliation Commission that will traverse the length and breath of the country for truth telling and genuine reconciliation. Some of our people need closure from historic pain and trauma. In addition to this process, we also have a fully fledged ministry that looks after the needs and interests of our multi-ethnic community. Not only have we restored the Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna public holiday, but we have also declared a Girmit national holiday. The Coalition Government not only talks about national unity, we actually walk the talk by implementing policies and initiatives that make Fiji and all its multi-ethnic and multicultural communities more united.
As a nation, Fiji has not quite learnt how to capitalise and embrace our unique national gifts that we only periodically acknowledge and laud — our sporting accomplishments, particularly our rugby sevens women’s and men’s teams, our 15s Fijiana and Fijian Drua rugby teams in regional and international competitions, and our peacekeeping troops — these are national heroes who we as Fijians should accept as all ethnicities icons that build true nationalism that embraces all ethnicities, faiths and religion and break down intra-national boundaries, but we have repeatedly succumbed to social, even mainstream media personnel colouring of keyboard self-proclaimed experts, editors and publishers and politicians. It’s only when we collectively identify with these heroes and forget our differences in artificial status of wealth, resource ownership, and acquired status of education etc, can we truly contribute to national unity and refuse to be cornered again into ethnic, religious, faith, financial comfort zones that threaten unity. We must recognise and accept Fiji as one unit and reject the subdividing influences of the unit into compartmentalisations, that kill unity.
FT: There’s been growing concern over cost of living. What is your government doing to provide immediate relief to ordinary Fijians?
PM: Let me start by saying what you call the growing concern over cost of living is a worldwide phenomenon. Fiji is not the only country that is worried about this nor is it the only nation that is being impacted by higher costs of imported goods and services. We have stated right from day one that fuelling this perceived high cost of living is the spikes in import costs. From the first budget of the Coalition Government, we have recognised the need to cushion this increase in costs. This is why we have zero rated up to 21 basic food items including medicines. We have also paid $125m in 3 rounds of the $200 Back to School support for about 220,000 students, and forgiven student loans amounting to millions of dollars under the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Services. School bus fare subsidy and free tuition continued to this day. On social protection, we have increased family benefit allowances for recipients including our senior citizens. Water and electricity subsidies for many families have not stopped. Do not forget too that we are the only government that successfully brought an end to the world’s longest strike in the Vatukoula Gold mine protest that began in 1991 and have offered to pay compensation. We have also begun moves to restore some relief to pensioners of the Fiji National Provident Fund. Just because you have some politicians calling for the reduction of VAT, does not mean that playing around with the sales tax rate is the only way that will bring about relief to our people. Remember that there are so many ways to skin the proverbial cat. This is why we are addressing this in more than one way. Of course, if political expediency is what we crave for, we could have easily worked to reduce VAT. Or we could have just “kick the can” further down the road and make it the job of future governments to restore public financial responsibility. But that is not the intention of the Coalition Government. We’d rather bite the bullet now instead of letting our children and their children clean up the financial mess that others created. That is what responsible governments do, and that is what we intend to do.
The government’s social welfare programs like Back to School Grants, Social Welfare Allowances, subsidised public transport costs, write off of Tertiary Loans Schemes (TELS) debts, the Zero-Rating of 22 previously value-added taxed items, are some of the measures introduced or continued by Government to alleviate the high cost of living. In my response to the question before this one, I have tried to highlight two significant issues that escalated the global cost of living. International traders and Fiji importers are levied more to bring imports to Fiji and the total cost of the landed items have increased significantly in value because of the increased cost of fuel and insurance in an unstable and militarily threatened supply chain, and which cost is finally levied on the consumers as value-added tax. While some are focusing on the burdens carried equally by the haves and have nots in the value-added taxing system, they fail to, or refuse, to acknowledge that many of those haves are carrying the rest of us by paying into government as taxes the highest portion of government revenue that finance government and debt servicing.
FT: What’s your message to Fijians who feel left out or unheard in the current political climate?
PM: No one is left out. I ask them to heed my Easter message — do not be jealous of those you feel are better off than you are; be charitable to those who have less than you have — gazing upwards is more straining on the neck muscles, than gazing level or lower! Make it your business to be heard. Take advantage of the many public consultations that are taking place around the country. Whether it is on the Freedom of Information Act, or changes to the electoral laws or even about your views on our next national budget, make your voice heard by taking advantage of these public forums. You also have 54 members of Parliament, contact them either personally or by using their social media platforms.
FT: How are you ensuring transparency and accountability across government ministries?
PM: I think you yourself know the answer to this question for I would not be making this effort to answer your many questions each week if the Government that I lead does not believe in transparency and accountability. I listen to the people who vent via the media — social or mainstream, and those that come to government by official channels, and try and mobilise government solutions where we can. I encourage those who feel aggrieved to pursue legal or administrative redress.
FT: Prime Minister, what assurances can you give the public that the current review of electoral laws will lead to a more transparent, inclusive, and fair electoral process — and will these reforms be in place before the next general election?
PM: The review panel can only report on what the members of the public bring to them. I do not think that it is fair for me to be asked to give such an assurance, for I am not the one that is doing the review of our electoral laws. If you want our laws to be transparent, inclusive and fair, then go and make this clear to Judge Daniel Fatiaki and his group of commissioners who as you know are holding nationwide consultations.
FT: Prime Minister, the issue of rubbish and waste management has been a growing concern in many areas of the country. What steps is your government taking to address the rising waste problem and improve waste management systems nationwide?
PM: This is one of the many legacy issues that will take many terms of government to effectively address. Making waste management the focus of a separate ministry is a step in the right direction and with the appointment of Hon Mosese Bulitavu as the Minister for Environment and Climate Change will only strengthen and consolidate our work on this front. I must congratulate the QVS athletes preparing for the schools national championships, and the Hon Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon Bulitavu for demonstrating a very practical and effective way of instilling civic pride and encouraging discipline in choosing to spend a few minutes, after training, to cleaning up a part of My Suva Park which should really be every Suva Citizen’s Park while they also have the school responsibility of keeping their School Park of Nukuvuto clean! We should learn from nature’s revenge when we rubbish our environment — it hits us back by giving mosquitoes and other noxious insects and bugs a perfect breeding opportunity to hit humans with airborne biological missiles aka mosquitoes spreading dengue and other viruses.
FT: You recently visited Singapore and Indonesia. What are some concrete outcomes Fijians can expect from these bilateral engagements?
PM: I have had a very close look at the evolution of Singapore from an island economy surviving on a the activities of a fishing port, forced through the post colonial years of a duty free shopping centre to be now among first world economies through firm leadership, national discipline and innovative development policies as very well described by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in his autobiographical book ‘From Third World to First: The Singapore Story’. I am answering these questions before the Indonesian leg of my official visits.
In Indonesia I will be interested also in their success story of the firm national leadership and clever strategic manoeuvres to navigate in the volatile power play among the major powers having common interests in the Indian Ocean Region, Southeast Asian and Pacific countries. They too have managed very well to become a powerful economy, starting their nationhood journey after the World War II, the withdrawal of European colonial masters and the growth of independent nationhood in the Asia-Pacific Region, and with the archipelago astride two power-contested oceans – the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and now the South China Sea!
Singapore and Indonesia are giants in business and trade, human resource development and capacity building and a small island economy like Fiji can only benefit enormously from such interactions. In Singapore for instance, I visited its sprawling and hugely successful Maritime Ports Authority, and with our intention to make our Fiji Ports Authority the regional hub in the Pacific, we can only benefit from such interactions. Fiji was also keen to tap Singapore’s leadership in the establishment of our very own Diplomatic Institute.
FT: How do you see Fiji’s role evolving in the Pacific region, especially amid growing interest from major powers?
PM: Under my leadership, Fiji will continue to be a friend to all and enemy to none here in the Pacific as well as beyond. We believe that together, our voices are louder and will be much more difficult to be ignored. Nothing is gained by standing alone and for pursuing our own interest. Fiji will have to borrow a few leaves, even chapters, from the stories of these two countries I am visiting – Singapore and Indonesia.
FT: With heightened focus on regional security, how does Fiji intend to balance traditional alliances with new strategic partnerships?
PM: We will continue to be guided by our friends to all and enemy to none policy in foreign affairs. However, the recent jolt caused by the tariff adjustments announced by the USA, Fiji and other traditional allies of the USA will have to do a lot of strategic gymnastics to stay on the bars, maintain their balances and continue to score points for themselves. As I mentioned in a recent discussion with Fiji Water leadership in Yaqara, the tariff announcement has now forced them to examine other destinations which will open up those new destinations to the Fiji brand! Every challenge can be an opportunity! Traditional alliances were great, but every country must come of age grab their key and move on with their lives without parental support. Fiji must make that decision now.
FT: Young people are calling for more inclusion in national decision-making. How is your leadership creating space for them?
PM: Anyone can vote or stand for elections once they become 18-years-old, so they can create their own space. The government has given them equal access to quality education, and it’s up to them to create their own space as all our women and men rugby players try and do on the rugby field. No opposing team, nor the referee will ‘create’ that space for them. Our young people must create their own space, and go for it. The biggest achievement of the Coalition Government on this front is being the enabler, creating the environment or the space for everyone including our young people to be heard and to have a seat, as it were on the table.
FT: The education sector has faced challenges in access and quality. What reforms are being pursued to improve outcomes?
PM: Fiji now has its own National Education Curriculum which is compatible with many other countries’ in preparing our young people for national tertiary or foreign tertiary education or the employment market. As we educate for our labour market needs, we are progressive in the development of our schools’ curricula to reflect global trends and demands. The development and improvement of Internet connectivity will continue to positively of Fiji’s education development.
FT: What sectors do you believe hold the greatest potential to diversify Fiji’s economy and create jobs?
PM: Natural resources; agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, and while we continue to develop those sectors, the opportunities offered by an internationally competitive ports facility for transshipment, port-side tax-free manufacturing and re-export are great opportunities for the immediate and long-term growth. The Coalition Government is supporting the growth of micro, small and medium businesses and leading the revival of the solesolevaki approach in commerce through the cooperative movement nationwide. Our digital policy is also increasing connectivity and providing incentives for e-commerce and eco tourism especially outside our urban centres to thrive with the development of good land, sea and air transportation. Commercial agriculture is also a priority and the Coalition Government has launched some key economic drivers in the form of the $400million Na Vualiku Project and the $300m Chinese Government funded road upgrade program in Vanua Levu.
FT: How is your administration supporting small and medium enterprises, particularly in the wake of post-COVID economic recovery?
PM: The Ministry of Trade, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has some very proactive support programs to encourage these as workable solutions in our post COVID-19 recovery mode. There has also been a sprouting of village and community based cooperative enterprises which will greatly help our rural communities and offer them opportunities to stem rural to urban migration. The development of communications connectivity will very soon be felt in our national movement towards E-commerce and marketing. This question is best answered by DPM Kamikamica as he looks after Trade, MSMEs, Cooperatives and Communication, and the Ministry will be able to provide the The Fiji Times with a comprehensive list of the work and the money they are investing into the MSME sector.
FT: What keeps you grounded as Prime Minister — and what do you want your legacy to be?
PM: Legacies are not deliberately created — they are what others classify your contribution to society and humanity as. A very dear friend and military colleague of mine, who has departed this world, told me that he would want only two words to be remembered by: “He tried”. I guess that’s what has kept me grounded too; I try.
When the systems fail, voices rise by Ravneel Sharma of Navua
I WRITE to express my deep disappointment with the recent remarks made by the Minister for Education, criticising teachers for raising their concerns on social media instead of using official grievance channels. While the minister may expect all issues to be routed through formal mechanisms, he fails to understand – or perhaps chooses to ignore – the core reason why teachers are resorting to public platforms. No teacher would willingly take to social media to air their grievances if the ministry’s internal systems were functional and responsive. The increasing number of complaints being posted online is not a sign of irresponsibility by teachers, but rather a glaring reflection of the ministry’s inefficiency in addressing genuine issues, particularly concerning pay and entitlements. Instead of chastising educators for speaking out, the ministry should introspect on why the existing processes have failed them. Teachers deserve timely communication, accountability, and respect – not rebuke for expressing frustration after exhausting all other avenues. It is time the ministry listens to its teachers – not just when it’s convenient, but especially when it’s uncomfortable.
FT: Prime Minister, what is your response to concerns that teachers are being forced to air grievances on social media due to ineffective and unresponsive internal systems within the Ministry of Education. Will your government commit to reviewing these grievance mechanisms to ensure teachers are genuinely heard, respected, and fairly treated?
PM: Would the yeachers and Ravneel Sharma be satisfied if the Hon Minister for Education responds to the teachers in the social media and to Ravneel Sharma in a Letter to the Editor?
Don’t forget us by Jioji Toronibau of Navetau, Tunuloa
Our brethren up the highlands of Namosi and the Waibasaga crossings in Wainimala, Naitasiri will be in the PM’s ‘to do list’ for the 2026 Budget. The PM had seen the ultimate pleas for access to markets, senior citizens, medical evaluation, school children’s wellness and welfare etc. On the same breath, I would also request the PM to look across to the most unfortunate Tikina of Tunuloa, in the Cakaudrove province to improve our road infrastructure along the Natewa/Tunuloa end. They are long overdue please.
FT: Prime Minister, as you consider urgent development priorities for the upcoming 2026 Budget, will the long-overdue road infrastructure upgrades in the Natewa/Tunuloa area – particularly for the people of Tunuloa in Cakaudrove – finally be given the attention they deserve, alongside the needs of our fellow Fijians in Namosi and Waibasaga?
PM: My late uncle Ratu Eddie Toronibau of Tunuloa was a senior education officer in the 1989, another late uncle Josefa ‘Sepo’ Lewaicei rose to be commissioner of police also in the late 1980s to 1990s, another late son of the Natewa-Tunuloa peninsula, Professor Ratu Ropate Qalo Rakuita, and yet another late son of Natewa, tavale Savenaca Siwatibau, didn’t sit around waiting for the government (colonial) in their primary and secondary education years, didn’t have road access to their villages. The road to my village of Drekeniwai was opened in 1974 while I was a commissioned officer in the RFMF serving on attachment to the British Army in Hong Kong — neither our parents nor we, waited for the roads to be built to our villages. Joji Toronibau has been writing letters to the editors of both The Fiji Times and Fiji Sun for nearly ten years now, and I want to remind him that roads are not built on letters they are built with money and in accordance with the government infrastructure development plans — budgets and a few kilometres at a time. The chairman of Cakaudrove Provincial Council is from the interior of Tunuloa, and he has a road that reached his village more than twenty years ago!
