Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj has challenged the Government’s repeated assurances that Fiji has sufficient fuel supplies, saying official statements are out of step with what motorists are witnessing across parts of the country. In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, Maharaj described the Government’s message urging calm and discouraging panic buying as “a shameful and insulting display of political spin” that is “dangerously out of touch with reality.”
Maharaj pointed to specific scenes at service stations as evidence that the supply picture is inconsistent with official claims. “While the government says ‘fuel is sufficient,’ the reality on the ground is that service stations in Flagstaff are running on empty,” he said. He also reported seeing cones blocking pumps in Laucala Beach and said the sight of “OUT OF ORDER” signs taped to fuel pumps was itself a serious cause for concern among motorists.
The opposition MP rejected suggestions that long queues at service stations amounted to panic buying. “This is not panic buying. This is the logical reaction of citizens who need to get to work, get their children to school and run their businesses,” Maharaj said, arguing that people are acting pragmatically to secure the fuel they need for everyday obligations. He said visible pump closures and queues are “the most verified information any citizen needs,” implying that such on-the-ground evidence should carry weight alongside any government assurances.
Maharaj used his statement to call for greater transparency from the Government on the status of national fuel reserves and the state of supply chains. “The Fiji Government must issue a true and accurate status report of Fiji’s fuel reserves and be transparent about any supply bottlenecks,” he said, urging officials to publish clear information rather than issuing broad reassurances.
The remarks are the latest public challenge from Opposition members to the Government’s handling of essential-service communications. Government officials have previously asked the public not to panic buy, but Maharaj’s comments underscore a widening trust gap between official statements and what some citizens and local businesses are reporting at petrol stations.
No immediate response from the Government was included in Maharaj’s statement. The opposition’s demand for a detailed status report raises the prospect of further scrutiny of fuel supply arrangements and could prompt a formal response from authorities if visible shortages continue or reports from other areas corroborate the Flagstaff and Laucala Beach accounts.
Leave a comment