FT: Prime Minister, what are your thoughts on the GCC’s proposed Natural Resource Trust Fund — should it strike a balance between increasing economic returns for landowners and protecting investor confidence, national unity, and long-term development?
PM: It is a very good thought, however, the GCC chairman should commission a working group to do a study of all countries where tribal or native ownership of land is codified into law and where the land and other tribally-owned resources are required for national development and their charges, rents, commissions etc are regulated by governments. That would give Fijians a fair idea whether the native resource owners are unfairly taken advantage of with the use of their land, fishing grounds, underground water and minerals etc, without proper and equitable “returns” to them.
FT: Prime Minister, Cabinet’s decision to reintroduce the Buy Back Scheme after a 32-year hiatus marks a significant step in addressing the historical dispossession of iTaukei lands. Why was it important for your government to prioritise and approve this initiative now, and how does this align with your broader vision for restorative justice, economic inclusion, and nation-building?
PM: When the Land Claims and Native Lands commissions sat to investigate and register land ownership, some native land had already been alienated by sale or barter to European families, so were outside the “ownership” of the mataqali. “Original” as Blakelock says cannot now be established, as it was not established at those commissions of the 1920’s. Lands “recognised” as belonging to the mataqali, but had no surviving mataqali members were classified as Crown Schedule B lands and those that were not claimed to have belonged to any mataqali were classified as Crown Schedule A. These tracts of land can be allocated to the mataqali or the yavusa whose claims of not having enough land for “Maintenance and Support” in their demarcated mataqali lands according to laws (iTaukei Lands Act) are proven.
FT: Given the constitutional and economic implications of maintaining the reclaimed lands as freehold with restrictive covenants, how will the Buy Back Scheme 3.0 balance the empowerment of landowning units with national development goals, and what safeguards will ensure this framework avoids the pitfalls of past land policies?
PM: Landowners will have to establish Trust Deeds for the proper administration and governance of “bought-back” lands to ensure their profitable and accountable use for the benefit of all in the yavusa or mataqali whose boundaries may still be traceable. These blocks of land will most probably be used as yavusa assets as has been the case in a yavusa in Wainikeli, Taveuni, Cakaudrove.
FT: While the Australian immigration case brought hope to one applicant, what is the People’s Coalition Government doing to engage with foreign missions to address the cost burden of visa applications and advocate for fairer processes for Fijian travellers?
PM: These are sovereignty issues and based on how countries view others depending on universal gradings on reliability of processes, e.g. Fiji has a very low grading therefore finds itself in a lower tier in the consideration of people trafficking, so our acceptability will be difficult to some countries. Recently, our passports were not considered credible in some countries, and it will take time to bring back stringent controls to regain the confidence of the international community. Some Fijian Muslims trying to go on their annual pilgrimage to Mecca, were refused entry because of the Fijian passport credibility issue. Our approach has been to fix our own Immigration processes and enforcement first. Furthermore, we now have a fully fledged Ministry of Immigration with a Cabinet minister and permanent secretary leading the work on this. The Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its missions abroad have been actively advocating for visa-free arrangements and reduced visa fees, particularly with our neighbouring countries of Australia and New Zealand. Passport validity or other factors. These announcements demonstrate positive progress in our push for visa-free travel to Australia and New Zealand. It is the Government’s hope that ongoing co-ordination and collaboration with our partners, Australia and New Zealand will lead to easing visa requirements completely. Specifically on your question, you may recall that I raised the matter of reciprocal visa-free entry in my meeting with the President of Indonesia, His Excellency Prabowo Subianto when I visited Jakarta in April this year. Consular services also featured when Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand visited Fiji in June last year. I believe his government had made some visa-free travels announcement since then. So, this is work in progress obviously and it is something the Coalition Government will work on continuously.
FT: Do you support maintaining a minimum English proficiency threshold for Year 12 and 13 students, and how will government reforms ensure our students remain globally competitive while still reflecting local educational priorities?
PM: Fiji still has English as the medium of teaching and learning, and until all our textbooks in all subjects are written in another language, English must remain a compulsory language and be a determining subject for a pass in any and all our progressive examinations. Our qualifying institutions for teachers must demand very high standards of reading and writing and comprehension of good English. I asked my great grandchildren to bring some of their test papers home. On reading through, I came across these questions:
Social Studies: Multiple Choice:
Our Neighbours lives ………..
What do the child wear……
Write down one reason why Indian cuts their child’s hair…
Elementary Science (Multiple Choice)
The Parts of the plant that holds the plant up right is the…..
The animals that only has three body parts is a…..
Caterpillars can hide from its enemies through…
Which animal listed below have strong sense of smelling?
etc, etc.
Who is teaching the teacher?
Actually, I had expressed my own concerns about this very subject in radio interviews I gave to the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation and the Department of Information recently. I made reference to some test answer papers of one of my great grandchildren that I sighted at the start of the second term. I was appalled at the level of English I read on those answer papers.
What we need to do in my view is that we need to be good in whatever language we use. Whether it is English, Hindi, Urdu, Rotuman, Fijian or whatever language or dialect we use, we have to use it well and use it properly. We have to look at our curricular, we look at the quality of the teachers and our student teachers. Whether it’s English, Hindi or Fijian, we need to teach our children well, with the teachers setting the right example in being proficient in the language they teach.
FT: With visible signs of poverty in urban centres, what immediate, ground-level interventions is your government implementing to address food insecurity and support families living below the poverty line?
PM: Poverty eradication cannot be done overnight. There is no magical cure either. I hope your avid letter writer from Nadi is very much aware of our strategies in managing cost of living. Since we came into office a little more than two and half years ago, we have introduced measures to bring about some immediate relief to families. At the same time, we have also employed strategies that will assist people cope with rising inflation in the long term. Make them resilient. One must not forget too that all this work is starting from a very low threshold, given the higher percentage of people who are living below the poverty line. Twenty-two basic food items including medicine are VAT free. Thousands of families are being assisted with the $200 Back to School program. Millions of dollars in student loans written off. Free school bus fares and free tuition are continuing. Subsidy on medical, electricity and water bills have not stopped. Family support benefits have increased. Wages of civil servants have been increased and for private sector workers, the national minimum wage has been upped to $5 an hour. These measures should cushion the increasing cost of living. For the longer term, the Coalition Government is working tirelessly at job creation that should lead to wealth accumulation. More money has been allocated to growing entrepreneurship through our micro, small and medium enterprises, through the cooperative movement, through our youth and women group grants, through a hard push in commercial agriculture. We are not abandoning sugarcane farming but have also made huge inroads in terms of support in financing and machinery in other cash crops such as yaqona, dalo, ginger, turmeric and others. As some of your readers know, I am an avid home backyard farmer. The current spell of wet weather in the capital has been God sent for those of us who are keen in planting our yam gardens. I think the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown should not be lost in that growing your own food is the best strategy against high cost of living.
FT: As tourism numbers rise, what measures is your government taking to ensure that the quality of service, infrastructure, and local workforce support keeps pace with Fiji’s growing international appeal as a premier travel destination?
PM: I first want to congratulate and commend your correspondent for his vote of confidence in the country of his birth. Though he and his family are Kiwi now, they still speak fondly of their first home, and no doubt are our goodwill ambassadors and promoters of Fiji as a great tourist destination for Kiwis. Vinaka vakalevu. Tourism in Fiji as you know is largely private sector driven. All that we as a government do is being an enabler, ensuring that the right policies are in place, and the infrastructure are built and maintained. Deputy Prime Minister Bill Gavoka and the Ministry of Tourism that he leads work in partnership with Tourism Fiji and the hospitality sector to ensure that Fiji keeps its spot as the top holiday destination in the South Pacific. We should ensure that we do not price ourselves out of the market, and that our visitors are safe and well taken care of when they visit. Supporting infrastructure in good roads, safe transportation, crime free neighbourhoods and top medical services compliment very nicely the warm and genuine bula hospitality of which Fiji is renowned for.
FT: What steps are your government taking to restore public trust in key institutions, including law enforcement, following recent allegations of misconduct within the Counter Narcotics Bureau?
PM: The Government will slowly weed out those who break the laws. No country has a “Zero” crime rate, so let’s not be too tough on ourselves. I have to say that it is quite ironic that what you are now referring to as the crisis of trust is the outcome of the changes introduced in our law enforcement agencies. It is exactly because of the unrelenting drive and pressure being applied by the Fiji Police Force under the leadership of Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu that people are being flushed out, investigated and charged. Not only was Commissioner Tudravu appointed during the term of the Coalition Government, we have also provided further support by creating a ministry specifically dedicated to policing with Honourable Ioane Naivalurua, himself a former Police Commissioner, the line minister. So expect to see more arrests and more court cases in the coming months. No stone will be left unturned in this fight. For its part, the Coalition Government will ensure that the Fiji Police Force and other supporting law enforcement agencies are well resourced and supported. We now have the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, the churches, schools, and NGOs mobilised as only through this whole of community, entire nation approach can we win the war against hard drugs.
FT: Is that the end of the COI matter? Will the citizens and taxpayers of this country ever find out what the inquiry would reveal?
PM: Yes.
FT: How do you respond to perceptions that internal political divisions have overshadowed service delivery, and what reassurance can you give citizens that your government remains focused on its original mandate?
PM: I cannot deny the existence of political differences, even divisions, but on the whole, the government still delivers — perhaps below everyone’s high expectations, but we still deliver.
FT: Prime Minister, you spoke movingly about your son’s journey and the burden your family has carried because of your political past. How do you envision the Truth and Reconciliation Commission helping other Fijians come to terms with similar personal and collective histories?
PM: I think my family is not alone among the families of those of us blamed for our past political upheavals — mine in 1987 and others for later. I knew my children suffered silently from peer rejections in their schools, but they hardly spoke to me about it except for my son, who has recently (last Friday) become a New Zealand Citizen together with his wife and son. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission will offer everyone willing to come forward and confess their part, active or silent, during the upheavals. I am hoping that many will feel better after they have been given a chance to confront their own guilt and be able to forgive themselves, even if others will not forgive us.
FT: In light of your family’s experience and your acknowledgment of New Zealand’s inclusive approach, how can Fiji strengthen its own policies to support Fijians who return or migrate abroad, especially those seeking peace and new opportunities?
PM: Our Immigration and Migration policies and laws allow all those qualified to return or go wherever they want to go and are accepted into. Yes, indeed, no one should be prevented from either returning or leaving their country of birth. Again, if you can recall, one of the very first decision the Coalition Government made when we took office was to rescind the ban imposed against the late Professor Brij Lal and his family. We also removed a similar order against University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife. By now any visitor who is a non-citizen but can prove that his or her name or that of his or her parent are listed in the Vola ni Kawa Bula or a direct descendant of a Fiji Indian family, can enter the country visa free. They can stay for as long as three years without a visa. Dual citizenship is also permitted. For those former citizens who want to return to invest in a business, we will encourage and welcome them with open arms. Of course, as we do this, we also at the same time won’t hinder anyone wishing to emigrate. The only thing we can do as a government is to work in addressing the “push” factors of emigration, not so much the “pull” factors.
FT: Fiji will be sending a 186-strong contingent to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau in June. Team Fiji needs $3.5million to send the 136 athletes and 50 officials to the games and has placed a $3000 levy on each team member. Some athletes are finding it difficult to raise the $3000 levy. Can the Coalition Government help these athletes in meeting their levies?
PM: It’s now the end of May, and I have not seen any attempt from the Ministry of Sports, FASANOC or Fiji Sports Commission come with a request for assistance.
FT: The FIJI Water Flying Fijians will play against Australia on July 6 in Newcastle. The Flying Fijians and Wallabies pick-up from where they left-off at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in a match where Fiji created history by defeating the Australians (22-15) for the very first time in 69 years. Will you be there to support the boys and how important do you this match will be?
PM: I will try to go, but it will depend on affordability, as it will be a personal visit.
FT: Given your recent concerns about the rise of fake news in Fiji, especially its potential impact on public trust ahead of the 2026 General Election, what specific measures is your government implementing to address the spread of misinformation on social media platforms?
PM: Only those offended should take the offenders to the authorities. There will always be those who will abuse their freedoms — in this case “freedom of expression” as long as they do not overstep “culpable or malicious guidelines”.
FT: With the ongoing discussions around seabed mining and its environmental implications, how does your administration plan to balance economic interests with environmental conservation, particularly in light of calls for a 10-year moratorium to allow for comprehensive scientific research?
PM: National interests will take precedence in any and all of our considerations when they affect seas and seabed within national jurisdictions.
FT: The recent deployment of Republic of Fiji Military Forces personnel to Australia for joint exercises marks a significant step in bilateral defense cooperation. How do you envision this partnership evolving in the coming years, and what benefits do you foresee for Fiji’s national security and regional stability?
PM: It was a very positive development, and while previous and recent co-operations have been in response to disasters, the joint exercise can be a precursor to joint operations in response to people trafficking, drugs smuggling, and other international criminal activities. Defence relations between Fiji and Australia is strong and enduring. We fought together as part of the Allied Forces in both the first and second world wars, and in recent times we collaborated very well in restoring peace in Timor Leste and in Solomon Islands. Fiji is among a few Pacific Island Countries that are recipients of the modern guardian class patrol boats under the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program. Fiji is also a beneficiary of Australia’s Defence Pacific Air Program, under which a C-27 Spartan aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force operates on a rotational basis between Papua New Guinea and Fiji to enhance regional security and cooperation. Fiji has benefitted immensely too from the Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp in Nadi which serves as the regional hub for training and coordination in peacekeeping missions and disaster response efforts. Blackrock was funded by the Government of Australia. So, this latest joint exercise in Australia by members of the two defence forces is a continuation and will only strengthen the strong and enduring partnership of the two countries.
FT: May often serves as a poignant reminder for many Fijians of the events of 1987. As someone who was at the centre of that pivotal moment in our history, do you find yourself reflecting on it more deeply during this time of year and how does it shape your leadership today?
PM: Yes, it is always a time for self-reflection, and recommitment to serve the people of Fiji, if it can, in some way, make up for the hurts I caused so many then.
