Fiji
Is the sun setting on the era of Bainimarama and FijiFirst?
The long-running row between the former Fiji government and the Suva-based University of the South Pacific (USP) has come back to haunt former Fiji prime minister Frank…
A new era of democracy for Fiji – but where are the women?
The most recent Fijian election, held in December 2022, was hailed as a milestone in the Pacific Island country’s democratic journey – yet this has come at a price, with the…
Fiji: A chance to stop political history repeating
“Have you seen the toxic environment that’s been created since yesterday on social media?” asked FijiFirst General Secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. “The level of racism in this…
Fiji’s new politics
Fiji’s 14 December 2022 election will go down as a momentous occasion in the nation’s history – including for potential impacts on Suva’s diplomatic ties with Pacific partners…
Fiji’s coalition of convenience: what’s next?
For Fijians reeling from the hardships of the Covid-19 lockdown and the extreme weather events of the last two years, the election added one more exhausting and stressful event to…
Where the buck stops: aid in Fiji
Deeper thinking is required about the nature of aid and whether Fiji will further distance itself from the international aid dollar. Multinational contractors, the expatriate…
Why Indonesia’s engagement with Pacific countries matters
Last week, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi wrapped up a brief official visit to Fiji and Solomon Islands. On her agenda, apart from the usual high-level bilateral…
This year’s Pacific elections marginalise and isolate too many
Election season is in the air. With Australia’s ballots counted, Papua New Guinea is set for its tenth national election in 2022, with voting scheduled for July; Fiji is awaiting…
Commentary
Telstra’s Digicel Pacific challenge
The deal with the government insulates the telco from financial risk. But accepting the role of Australia’s lead business ambassador in the region makes it no set-and-forget…
The promise and peril of statistics in Fiji
The 101-page document appeared quietly on the Fiji Bureau of Statistics website in early September. But almost immediately, the 2019-2020 Household Income and Expenditure Survey …