Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has opened the inaugural Fiji Government Communications Conference in Suva, calling the event a milestone in the government’s effort to professionalise how it engages with the public. The conference — the first time government communications officials have been brought together in a single forum in Fiji’s history — carried the theme “Coordinate, Collaborate, Elevate.”
Addressing participants, Mr Rabuka argued that a government cannot succeed if it cannot communicate, and placed communications officers at the centre of rebuilding public trust. “When citizens understand what their government is doing and why, they are more likely to engage, to trust, and to participate in our democracy,” he said, adding that effective communication is “central to building public trust and encouraging civic participation.”
Rabuka framed the conference against a fast-moving information environment and growing challenges to democratic confidence. “We live in a world where information moves faster than ever before, and public trust is being tested,” he said, warning that governments globally face daily tests “by those who seek to undermine our democracy.” He urged communicators to ensure messaging is consistent and reaches all communities across multiple platforms.
Highlighting the professional role of government communicators, the prime minister told attendees: “You are more than simply a media officer. You are the bridge between the government and the people of Fiji. You carry enormous responsibility. Today, we are here to give you the tools, the community, and the recognition you deserve.” He said the forum aims to equip communications staff with the skills and networks needed to perform that bridging role effectively.
Mr Rabuka described the conference itself as evidence that the administration is taking communications seriously and is determined “to build a professional, coordinated, and capable communications function across every ministry.” He said the conference theme “captures exactly what we intend to do, raise the standard of government communications, together, as one.”
The gathering also acknowledged the influence of international developments on Fiji’s information environment, an issue the prime minister said adds urgency to efforts to improve public-facing messaging. Beyond rhetoric, the conference is positioned as a concrete step toward shaping common standards, sharing best practice and fostering collaboration among communications officers from across government — an approach the administration hopes will translate into greater transparency and higher civic participation.
Organisers have described the forum as the start of a sustained push to lift communication standards within the public service. By bringing practitioners together, the government aims to formalise channels for coordinated messaging and to provide training, resources and recognition to communications teams whose work Rabuka said is central to the functioning of democracy in Fiji.
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