Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, commended his political party, The People’s Alliance, for its dedication to the public during a recent address to villagers in Nabuna, located in Cawa, Koro. He described the party as a driving force for transformation in the community.
Cawa district comprises the villages of Cavaga, Tavua, Nabasovi, Kade, Nabuna, and Vatulele. Mr. Turaga highlighted the significance of The People’s Alliance, stating that although it is a relatively new party, it has successfully initiated the desired changes for the people.
“The People’s Alliance is vital because it has delivered the change we aspired to and envisioned,” Mr. Turaga remarked. He emphasized that the changes enacted have provided individuals with freedom, a fundamental right that is safeguarded by the 2013 Constitution.
He reassured the audience of the party’s commitment to listening to the concerns of the people. Reflecting on the lead-up to the 2022 election, he expressed gratitude for the support he received from a dedicated team during his visit to Lomaiviti.
Mr. Turaga extended his thanks to the Cawa district for their unwavering support, thanking them for choosing him as their representative from Kubuna-i-wai to advocate for Lomaiviti.
On the agenda for Friday is the party’s Annual General Meeting. He also announced that next month, the Minister for Agriculture will visit Koro, noting the area’s fertile land as a priority for attention. Furthermore, an agriculture show aimed at supporting farmers will take place next month, and he encouraged all community members to participate.
In his speech, Mr. Turaga criticized the now-deregistered FijiFirst party, alleging that it placed its own interests above those of the population. He pointed out that for 16 years, the iTaukei community was overlooked and noted the positive changes civil servants have observed since then.
“The Ministry of Justice staff, who rarely ventured from their offices, have now engaged with many provinces,” he stated, underlining the government’s aim to deliver services directly to the populace.
Mr. Turaga revealed that his administration is investigating the actions of the former government, despite facing various challenges. He mentioned that 70 cases related to misuse of funds were referred to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) by the Housing Authority, but only one has proceeded to court.
Additionally, Mr. Turaga and several other ministers are under investigation by FICAC, which is now led by Barbara Malimali following the resignation of acting commissioner Francis Pulewai last week. Malimali confirmed the transition to her new role when asked about the continuity of investigations initiated by her predecessor.