The Fashion Parade, a highly anticipated event of the Hibiscus Carnival, was cancelled in 1996 due to various organizational issues. Event coordinator Ana Sweetman expressed her regret over the cancellation in a statement to The Fiji Times on August 21, 1996, attributing the decision to delays in confirming the event and securing sponsorships.
Sweetman stated, “We regret to have to make this decision, but unfortunately, confirmation for holding the event, as well as for sponsorship, came in too late. It would be unfair on the public to just present a fashion show for the sake of it without proper planning.” This parade had been a significant highlight of the carnival in previous years. Organizers had hoped to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the carnival with a special show featuring former Hibiscus queens and their children as models. “It’s a pity because this year, we wanted to celebrate the milestone with something special,” she added.
During this period, a rift within the carnival’s organizing committee appeared to be healing. Publicity officer Elenoa Sikivou, who had previously raised concerns regarding judging inconsistencies in past events, announced that High Court Judge Justice Daniel Fatiaki would now be responsible for overseeing the judging sheets. This announcement came after committee chairman Arthur Hazelman expressed objections to Sikivou’s earlier statements, which had questioned the integrity of previous judges and organizers.
Former Fiji Hibiscus Association president Litia Koto Vakarewakobau criticized the committee’s performance at that time, highlighting the absence of published audited accounts and demanding greater transparency. She questioned, “Why aren’t they publishing the audited accounts?” Additionally, she pointed out that the committee had failed to call or advertise public annual general meetings, a practice she noted was standard during her presidency. Vakarewakobau emphasized that during her leadership, all profits from events and stalls were allocated to charity.