The current COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji is “testing public trust” in the government, states Integrity Fiji and Transparency International.
The outbreak has put significant pressure on governments already stretched by the economic impact of the pandemic, in a region heavily reliant on tourism, states Joseph Veramu of Integrity Fiji and Katy Mackey of Transparency International.
“In parts of the Pacific, government responses to COVID-19 have been marked by limited transparency, oversight and public engagement.
“In Fiji, this has been exemplified by ongoing media conflicts involving both the Auditor-General’s Office and the CSO Alliance for COVID-19 Humanitarian Response.
“The CSO Alliance has repeatedly called for greater involvement of civil society in government decision-making, but claim that this has fallen on ‘deaf ears’. “Most controversial of all, the Government announced a ‘no jab, no job’ policy.
“This has attracted significant controversy, with doctors, human rights lawyers and rugby players weighing in.”
Mr Veramu and Ms Mackey say there is a “worrying expansion of government powers”.
“At the same time, people’s rights must be protected. It is concerning that the Fijian Government is pursuing vaccination uptake through hard-line regulations –– a decision which echoes the increasingly authoritarian line many governments have taken since the onset of the pandemic.”
The authors say this is a “time for greater transparency, not less”.
“Because governments across the Pacific have taken on a greater role during the pandemic, including in dispersing funds directly to citizens and making sweeping health decisions, there must be opportunities for additional scrutiny. This would give the public confidence that emergency funds are being spent responsibly.”
