The Fijian government has set up a Fuel Advisory Committee (FAC) to monitor fuel stocks and coordinate a response as authorities move to head off shortages and calm public anxiety after reports of several service stations running out of fuel and a wave of bulk buying.
The decision to establish the FAC was taken at Cabinet’s meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said, as the Government sought to reassure motorists that Fiji’s overall fuel supply remains stable. Rabuka and officials warned there is no need for panic buying or home stockpiling and stressed the new committee is a precautionary measure to strengthen preparedness.
The FAC will track domestic fuel levels, coordinate between government agencies and industry stakeholders, and advise on any necessary measures should international conditions change, the Government said. Officials are also finalising Emergency Fuel Response regulations to ensure timely action can be taken if the situation deteriorates, an element described as part of wider contingency planning rather than a sign that the nation faces an immediate shortage.
Cabinet noted Fiji currently holds strategic fuel reserves that vary by product, equivalent to between 20 and 45 days of supply. Additional shipments are already en route and, when combined with existing stocks, are expected to extend overall availability to as much as 90 days. Those figures were provided by Government sources as part of yesterday’s briefing to explain the country’s buffer against global market shifts.
The establishment of the FAC follows multiple reports from across the country of individual petrol stations running dry and motorists purchasing fuel in large quantities, which authorities say exacerbated local shortages. The Government urged the public to continue normal purchasing patterns and to avoid hoarding, warning that storing fuel at home carries serious safety and fire risks.
Officials highlighted the importance of steady supply for essential services, saying hospitals, electricity and water providers, and emergency response teams must continue to receive fuel to maintain critical operations. Authorities said they will continue to monitor shipments and domestic distribution closely and promised to keep the public informed of any material developments.
The move signals a shift from ad hoc management of isolated outages to a more formalised, cross-sector mechanism for early warning and coordinated action should global supply or price volatility begin to threaten domestic availability. For now, Government messaging has been consistent: precautionary planning is under way, strategic reserves and incoming cargoes provide a significant buffer, and calm, measured consumer behaviour is vital to prevent localised disruptions.
Leave a comment