The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) will present a white paper to all political parties in the coming weeks, pressing for private‑sector concerns to be built into election manifestos as the campaign period gets under way, the federation announced on Monday.
FCEF Chief Executive Edward Bernard said the submission aims to give political parties a clear, consolidated view of the policy measures business leaders want prioritised as they develop their platforms. “We believe that this is important because when political parties start putting their manifesto together, they look at the business angle, they have something substantial and sustainable for businesses,” Bernard said, adding that the federation wants clear indications of which parties will champion business interests.
The move comes against a backdrop of rising operating costs that Bernard attributed to ongoing global volatility and higher fuel prices. He warned those pressures are squeezing margins across sectors and said the business community needs policy certainty to protect jobs and consumer welfare. “With cost pressures continuing to impact businesses nationwide, policies that support businesses will ultimately benefit jobs, consumers and the wider economy,” he said.
Bernard emphasised that the FCEF will remain apolitical but intends to use the white paper to press for “key policy reforms” that reflect the private sector’s priorities. He said the federation is “tracking the things that are going on around and building up to the national election,” signalling an organised effort to engage with multiple parties rather than endorse any single grouping.
The timing of the white paper is significant: the forthcoming election campaign has seen fresh activity in Fiji’s political landscape, with new parties registering and former MPs reshuffling allegiances. In recent weeks, several new and reconstituted parties have emerged, heightening competition and underscoring the need for voters and stakeholders to understand how each platform would affect business conditions. Security and integrity arrangements for the vote have also been strengthened through interagency preparations, part of broader steps to ensure a stable environment for the election.
Business groups in Fiji have in past budgeting cycles and policy debates lobbied on issues from taxation and regulatory red tape to infrastructure and energy costs. While the FCEF did not detail the specific reforms it will advocate in the white paper, Bernard’s comments suggest priorities will centre on reducing operating burdens and addressing fuel‑related cost shocks. He framed those objectives as benefiting not only firms but the wider economy through sustained employment and consumer purchasing power.
The federation said it will deliver the white paper to party headquarters and make its recommendations public as parties finalise their manifestos. Political leaders will have the opportunity to respond during the campaign, and the FCEF plans to monitor commitments made on the hustings and hold parties to account on any election‑time pledges affecting the private sector.