NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) chair Shamima Ali says a series of rushed and poorly considered government decisions have contributed to “chaos and instability” in Fiji’s governance over the past year.
Reflecting on the fallout from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the appointment of the former FICAC Commissioner, Ali said the saga dominated 2025 and created unnecessary uncertainty.
“In 2024, a Commission of Inquiry was appointed to look into the appointment of the then FICAC Commissioner. What followed thereafter, and took up much of 2025, were the consequences of haphazard decisions,” she said.
Ali noted the episode triggered multiple political and legal repercussions.
“We saw the dismissal of the then Attorney-General, allegations of ‘crocodiles in the pond’, a non-functioning link to a redacted version of the COI report, various police investigations, several applications for legal redress pending before the Court, and a lot of taxpayers’ money being unnecessarily spent,” she said.
The coalition is also concerned by the frequency of cabinet changes and the cost to the public.
“In the span of a year, three cabinet reshuffle announcements were made… The cabinet size was expanded with new Ministers and Assistant Ministers,” Ali said, adding that repeated portfolio shifts “will continue to cost taxpayers.”
Ali further criticised what she described as last-minute changes in public appointments.
“Towards the end of 2025, we continue to see willy nilly decisions of the government, including the appointment of the Fiji Competition and Commerce Commission Chair, which was changed overnight,” she said.
She warned that the pattern poses risks to public trust and stability. “Such willy nilly decisions result in chaos and instability,” Ali said.
The NGOCHR is calling for greater transparency, adherence to process and clearer communication from authorities to avoid further erosion of confidence in public institutions.
