Opposition Member of Parliament Viliame Naupoto has urged the Government to reevaluate the funding framework of the Coastal Fisheries Development Project.
Mr. Naupoto suggested that converting the initiative from a project to a program could enhance management effectiveness and provide greater job stability for workers involved. In his response to Minister of Fisheries Alitia Bainivalu’s statement, he stressed the need for consistent funding, pointing out that as a project, it often suffers interruptions at the conclusion of each financial year.
“I hope that if it remains a project, it can be managed as a program, which would secure better funding,” said Mr. Naupoto. He explained that under the current project structure, workers are forced to leave at the end of the financial year and must wait for the new financial year to resume their duties.
This temporary break can disrupt productivity and threaten job security for the workers. Mr. Naupoto argued that if the initiative were designated as a program, it would benefit from continuous funding, allowing employees to maintain year-round employment.
He emphasized that managing coastal fisheries is a critical and ongoing responsibility for Fiji, a nation made up of 300 islands, and suggested that a program-based model would better accommodate the sustained nature of the work. He called on the government to consider this transition to ensure more stable and effective development of the coastal fisheries sector.