The Fiji Labour Party has accused the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission of “cheating consumers” after an April fuel price determination that the party says shifted global market volatility directly onto households. Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry on Tuesday described the move as “a classic exercise in bureaucratic deflection dressed up as technical rigour” and urged immediate government intervention.
Chaudhry’s criticism centres on the FCCC’s decision to extend its usual one‑month pricing window and to sideline what the FLP called the “least cost methodology” — a mechanism the party says has traditionally acted as a buffer against sudden international price swings. “While the FCCC insists it did not simply pass on overseas cost volatility… this is precisely what they did,” Chaudhry said, accusing the commission of effectively advantaging suppliers at the expense of consumers.
The Labour Party highlighted the scale of the April increases, pointing to a 71‑cent rise in kerosene and a 49‑cent rise in unleaded petrol. Chaudhry said the hikes were “immediate and severe,” placing an undue burden on households and businesses and having a knock‑on negative effect on the economy. He argued that the sudden adjustment was unnecessary given earlier government assurances that fuel supplies were secure.
Chaudhry called on the Prime Minister or the Minister for Finance to intervene under Section 40 of the FCCC Act, urging the executive to step in to protect consumers and to restore pricing practices that shield households from abrupt international price movements. “The process must not be altered in the short term to advantage suppliers. The FCCC must represent the interests of the consumer, not the fuel companies,” he said, adding that Labour would continue to press for “real accountability and immediate measures to protect households.”
The FCCC has defended its determination, maintaining it did not merely pass on overseas cost volatility, a point Chaudhry rejected. The Labour leader also questioned why the commission deemed the change necessary when the government had previously assured the public of secure fuel stocks.
This marks the latest political challenge to the FCCC’s regulatory approach as pressure mounts from opposition parties and consumer advocates over recent energy price rises. Chaudhry’s public demand for ministerial intervention signals potential legal and political steps ahead if the government does not act to reverse or mitigate the April adjustments, or to clarify the commission’s methodology and timetable for future price reviews.
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