The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) has urged the government to more closely involve the private sector in national fuel-management arrangements after the state moved to tighten oversight amid global supply uncertainty. In a statement released today, FCEF welcomed the government’s appointment of a Fuel Controller and the establishment of a Fuel Advisory Committee and a Cabinet Sub‑Committee for Energy, but called for greater information sharing and consultation to protect businesses and consumers.
FCEF chief executive Edward Bernard said the steps come at a critical moment for industries across Fiji. “We support this initiative and hope that there will be greater information sharing, consultations and coordination with the private sector to optimise positive outcomes at this time of heightened uncertainty,” Bernard said. He warned that fuel security has become a major concern in recent weeks for large firms and micro and small enterprises alike, which face heightened exposure to supply shocks and price volatility.
Bernard set out several priorities he wants the new framework to address: ensuring a reliable fuel supply, stabilising retail and wholesale pricing, and creating greater certainty for businesses’ operational planning. He urged the government and the newly appointed bodies to focus on sourcing fuel from the most viable markets, prioritising efficient distribution across the country, and building contingency plans for further disruptions to supply and price.
The call for private-sector inclusion comes after earlier warnings from regulatory bodies about international tensions that threaten fuel availability and costs. This month Fiji’s competition regulator and other commentators flagged risks arising from heightened instability in the Middle East — particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy shipping route — which have been driving global price pressures. The government’s creation of a Fuel Controller and advisory structures is the latest domestic response to address those external risks.
FCEF also drew attention to domestic vulnerability from natural hazards, noting that the current cyclone season increases the stakes for fuel planning. Bernard said decisions taken now must give the business community confidence and stability through both international shocks and local climate-related disruptions. He stressed that unpredictable fuel supplies and prices can severely hamper business continuity, especially for small firms that lack buffers such as bulk purchasing power or alternate supply chains.
As the new government bodies begin their work, FCEF said it will keep engaging with businesses to support operational continuity and to relay industry priorities to policymakers. The federation’s intervention follows broader efforts in recent years to formalise private-sector roles in national resilience planning, including the recognition of business-led disaster resilience mechanisms under national legislation.
The federation’s appeal for a seat at the table underscores a central policy question for Fiji’s energy security: whether tighter government control of fuel management will be coordinated with private suppliers and users, or implemented in a more top‑down fashion. For now, industry leaders are seeking assurances that any emergency or market‑stabilising measures will be guided by transparent information flows and practical input from those who fuel the country’s economy.
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