PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka commissioned the upgraded government quarters for the district officer (DO) Rotuma and launched the Starlink satellite internet at the Government Station in Ahau last week.
This was part of the Coalition Government’s commitment to improving service delivery and connectivity in one of Fiji’s most remote islands.
The event, held alongside the Rotuma Day celebrations, was attended by senior government officials, community leaders, and donor and development partners, including representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which funded the Starlink project through the Governance for Resilient Development in the Pacific (Gov4Res) Programme, with support from the Australian and Korean governments.
The upgraded DO Rotuma quarters was one of two government residences recently refurbished at a combined cost of approximately $0.5million.
Delivering his remarks at the commissioning, Prime Minister Rabuka said the two initiatives reflected the Government’s broader vision of building a more inclusive, connected, and resilient rural Fiji.
“We reaffirm our commitment to our people in Rotuma and to all those serving in our most remote locations,” Mr Rabuka said.
“These quarters provide our officers with a safe and dignified living space, while the installation of Starlink internet empowers them with real-time access to information and better communication with central government
“This is critical for everyday operations and even more so during times of disaster.”
The Starlink installation at the Rotuma Government Station was part of a broader project involving the connection of 10 rural and maritime government stations across Fiji.
The initiative was designed to bridge the digital divide, improve coordination during emergency situations, and enhance the overall efficiency of public service delivery in underserved areas.
Mr Rabuka said this new technological advancement would allow civil servants to access real-time information and improve communication with headquarters, while also opening digital doors for nearby communities.
To complement this connectivity upgrade, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management was also working through a strategic partnership with the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) to deliver a tailored financial literacy training to community members in Rotuma, with a particular focus on women and youth.
