Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu has launched a scathing attack on the Coalition Government, declaring it “a government of chaos” as the first month of the year comes to a close.
In a strongly worded statement, Mr Seruiratu said that from the Prime Minister down, major decisions, policy directions and administrative actions have repeatedly descended into confusion, controversy, legal disputes and institutional breakdowns, with the cost of these failures being borne by taxpayers.
He said the Government had become its own worst enemy, accusing Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of being unaware of the damage caused by what he described as ongoing leadership failures.
According to Mr Seruiratu, processes initiated from the Office of the Prime Minister now routinely end in legal, administrative or political turmoil.
Central to his criticism was what he described as the “legal disaster” surrounding the Commission of Inquiry (COI).
Mr Seruiratu said the matter had already cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees and could have been avoided with decisive leadership.
He argued that the Prime Minister failed to act on the COI’s recommendations, particularly the call to suspend the Chief Justice, instead allowing the Judicial Services Commission — chaired by the Chief Justice — to challenge the findings in court.
Mr Seruiratu further criticised the Government’s reported efforts to settle the dispute, saying it undermined the integrity and independence of the Commission of Inquiry, which was chaired by Justice Ashton-Lewis.
He warned that such actions sent a dangerous signal that accountability could be compromised or quietly abandoned.
He also raised serious concerns about an alleged conflict of interest involving the Solicitor-General, noting that the official was named in the COI report while reportedly representing the State in settlement discussions.
Beyond the COI, Mr Seruiratu pointed to repeated Cabinet reshuffles as further evidence of instability.
He said ministers were being moved “like chess pieces” for political survival rather than sound governance, with portfolios repeatedly dismantled and reassigned without continuity or accountability.
Mr Seruiratu said nearly four years into its term, the Government remained in a state of improvisation, warning that continued indecision and instability were eroding public confidence and undermining national governance.
