New Fiji Government and what it means for anti-corruption advocacy

 Fiji now has a new Government led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. He replaces Frank Bainimarama’s FijiFirst Party that had been in power for 16 years. 

Bainimarama had instigated a military coup in 2006. At that time, he claimed that he had wanted to “clean up” Fiji from corruption. While his government made many strides on socio-economic development, there were allegations in later years of nepotism in the appointment of his relatives to senior Government positions. His authoritarian democracy stifled local government elections, limited free speech and freedom of assembly. Bainimarama had held democratic elections in 2014 under a new constitution and won by a landslide.

Rabuka the new Prime Minister of the Coalition Government had previously carried out two military coups in 1987. He had also served as the democratically elected prime minister from 1992 to 1999. From Rabuka’s conservative pro-Fijian nationalist image in 1987, he had re-invented himself to become an inclusive statesman advocating for multicultural harmony in Fiji.

Bainimarama’s Government is credited with ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the setting up of the highly regarded national anti-corruption agency, the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption. One senior official from one of CLCT Integrity Fiji’s donor partners noted that FICAC is an anti-corruption agency in the Pacific that actually works and is efficient. In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2021 (released in Jan 2022) Fiji scored 55 out of 100 and was ranked 45 out of 180 nations. To be ranked in the top 50 least corrupt nations was commendable.

Rabuka’s political party had stated in their manifesto that they would phase out FICAC and have its functions undertaken by the Fiji Police Force or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. To do this, Rabuka would need to amend the Constitution. There are indications that he will not phase out FICAC but review its modus operandi.

(r to l) Elsie Pickering, Josa (Amania!) Grace Konrote, Qalo Lesinawai and Rusula Cavalevu

Integrity Fiji Youth and Community Officer Grace Konrote said that at the outset, the NGO leaders realised that under the repressive Fiji Media Act, they had to be courageous and speak out even if that meant spending time in a police cell or hauled off to prison.

“We either spoke out or joined a less assertive group like say knitting or mat weaving. Our strategy was to be diplomatic and constructive in our advocacy.” Their testing moment came in early 2021 when the Bainimarama Government planned to introduce the Draft Police Bill. The Draft Bill proposed that a police officer should be allowed to seize, without warrant, any electronic storage device found in any crime scene. It would be lawful for any police officer to use reasonable force on any person who failed to comply. There were provisions to deploy police as soldiers subjected to military law during emergency situations.

https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Youth-for-Integrity-welcomes-PMs-comments-that-Draft-Police-Bill-will-not-go-in-its-current-form-to-Parliament-4rf5x8/

Qalo Lesinawai a part time event organiser for Integrity Fiji said that with the new Rabuka Government, they hoped that the oppressive Fiji Media Act would be repealed. This would allow them to do their anti-corruption advocacy without fear.

Elsie Pickering another part time event organiser said that the other issue they had to get used to were trolls who hounded them on social media. “We are not saying that they were sympathisers of the previous Government. We just had to develop thick skins and not lose sight of the reason our NGO was created and that is to support anti-corruption advocacy.”

What does the future hold?

The current political situation is still an unfolding narrative. The current government has a very slim majority. While there is hope that it will last the full 4 years, we must anticipate that the situation is fluid and can change. Integrity Fiji remains hopeful as the new coalition government has publicly stated that they will put more focus and attention on good governance which is a pre-condition for anti-corruption work in any society.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/12/26/good-governance-top-priority-kamikamica/?fbclid=IwAR3VI16CRsOlYJ5ud9EWOo9vHdRHStn8NnC-MHF4kC_QQ6R9l6iFsmgdEOU

Chairperson Jofiliti Veikoso acknowledged the great support Integrity Fiji had received from its partners in the Fiji National University, the anti-corruption agency FICAC, the Ministry of Economy’s Procurement Office, UN agencies, local embassies and high commissions, other NGOs and civil society. “Democracy can be cumbersome and long winded. However, we cannot go back to the old ways. For anti-corruption advocacy to thrive, we need lots of democracy in Fiji!”