Following a series of actions and decisions that exposed the fragility of the Coalition Government, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka acknowledged yesterday the need for effective communication, especially with the public.
In his budget response, Mr. Rabuka reiterated his pre-election warnings about the formidable obstacles faced in office, which have been proven true. Despite these challenges, he emphasized that his government remains undeterred.
“We have had our setbacks and made errors; that happens with all governments,” he stated.
Surveying the broader economic, social, and political landscape, Rabuka envisioned a new Fiji—a country of collective dreams. Although he didn’t delve into specifics, he expressed confidence that this vision is attainable. “Fiji has been wounded, but those wounds can be healed. We can do this together, starting here in this House,” he added.
Rabuka highlighted that the people of Fiji are awakening to a unifying truth: despite differences in language, customs, and traditions, everyone belongs to Fiji. He also addressed recent claims that the government was “falling down on the job.”
“This came amidst the ups and downs of democracy, its attendant controversies, and robust exchanges of opinions—characteristics of democracies,” he said. “I’m not aware of any democratic government that does not face accusations of incompetence or poor management.”
Reflecting on the 2022 elections, Rabuka reminded the House of his anticipation that an incoming government would face enormous difficulties and frustrations, and that it would take time to right these issues. “There is no way in the world we could overcome these in the first 18 months in office,” he noted.
Nevertheless, he confidently stated that they were steadily gaining a grip on the virtual reconstruction of the country. “I thank the Leader of Opposition for accepting that challenge. Perhaps we need to be more effective in communicating that to the people,” he concluded.