Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed there will be no immediate increase in local fuel prices, but moved to set up new advisory bodies to monitor a potentially volatile global market as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East threaten international oil supplies.
Speaking at an event in Nadi yesterday, Mr Rabuka repeated the Government’s stance that “they are not allowed to go up yet,” warning Fijians to prepare for the possibility of higher costs but urging against panic. The Prime Minister recalled personal hardship from his youth — “I used to be a messenger for The Fiji Times… I was taught to ride a bike because we did not have enough money to pay for taxis” — using the anecdote to suggest households might again consider alternatives if prices rise in future. He added that the current situation did not warrant panic buying.
The announcement follows a Cabinet meeting in Suva earlier this week in which Mr Rabuka said there should be no price increases. As the latest development, Government has established a Fuel Advisory Committee and a Cabinet Subcommittee for Energy to keep watch on unfolding international developments. The Fuel Advisory Committee will be headed by the permanent secretary for Public Works, the Government said in a statement, which linked the new measures directly to "escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and instability in global energy markets" that could disrupt supply chains and push up prices.
Officials have not given further detail on the committees’ membership or timelines, but the moves signal a proactive shift by the administration toward centralised monitoring and coordination on energy matters. The creation of a Cabinet-level subcommittee indicates fuel pricing and wider energy security will remain on the Government’s immediate agenda as international risks evolve.
The decision comes amid wider domestic concern about energy costs and supply. Earlier government discussions this week also touched on electricity tariffs, and aviation operators have reported operational impacts from regional fuel constraints. Those developments have heightened sensitivity around energy policy and prices, making the new advisory structures the Government’s principal instrument for now to assess whether protective measures or policy interventions will be needed.
For the moment, Rabuka and his Cabinet are holding the line against hikes at the pump while positioning the state to respond if global oil market disruptions become acute. The Government’s public comment stresses vigilance: domestic prices will not rise “yet,” but authorities are watching international developments closely and have formalised the channels through which advice and decisions will be made.
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