Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya has accused the ruling Coalition Government of sacrificing governance for political survival, warning in Parliament that internal rivalries are sidelining national priorities and creating “paralysis” in decision-making. Koya made the remarks on the floor of the House during debate on the President’s address, which sets out the government’s policy priorities for the year ahead.
“What I also wanted to say is that the Coalition is cannibalising itself,” Koya told MPs, arguing that competition among coalition partners has become a defining feature of the government. He said parties within the coalition were effectively campaigning against one another while still in office, each positioning itself ahead of the next general election and protecting its own political territory at the expense of cohesive governing. “They are not all governing together. They are campaigning against each other while still in government,” he said.
Koya warned the focus on survival rather than governance was producing tangible costs for the country. “The result is paralysis. Decisions are delayed, policies are diluted, leadership becomes fragmented — and who pays the price? The country does,” he said, urging that national concerns be prioritised over intra-coalition competition.
His comments come amid a period of visible change and scrutiny within the government. In late June, Alitia Bainivalu was sworn in as Minister for Fisheries and Forests after the resignation of Kalaveti Ravu, who stepped down from Cabinet following charges laid by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka announced Bainivalu’s appointment, highlighting continuing ministerial turnover in recent weeks.
Koya’s intervention during the President’s address debate frames those personnel shifts and other governance issues as symptomatic of deeper friction inside the coalition. Opposition criticism ties into broader worries about the government’s capacity to advance key policy areas — a concern echoed by recent calls from Finance Minister and coalition figures about managing national debt and fiscal priorities. Opposition members argue that internal competition risks delaying decisions on such pressing matters.
Parliament continued with the debate after Koya’s remarks. His comments add political heat to an already high-stakes period for the coalition as it seeks to implement the agenda outlined in the President’s address while navigating internal tensions and public scrutiny. If the coalition’s partners cannot contain rivalry, the opposition warns, the ability of Cabinet and ministries to deliver on policy commitments may be further undermined.
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