The Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) has sharply criticized Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, questioning the alignment between his global ocean leadership initiatives and domestic policies. Vani Catanasiga, Executive Director of FCOSS, highlighted what she sees as a contradiction: Rabuka’s international advocacies for ocean protection clash with national policies that permit the risky practice of nuclear waste dumping in the Pacific.
Catanasiga stresses the urgency for the Fijian government to enforce the regional moratorium on Deep Sea Mining as stipulated in the Uduane Declaration. She notes that without this enforcement, Fiji’s legal framework remains vulnerable to the issuance of exploration licenses, putting the nation’s marine resources in potential jeopardy. Using the iTaukei adage “tekivu ena nomu Jerusalemi” — meaning leadership should start at home — she emphasizes the importance of prioritizing local environmental action.
Despite Rabuka’s calls for a cohesive Pacific response to various challenges such as climate change and international crime, his administration’s apparent neglect of local ecological issues is facing increased scrutiny. His much-touted “Ocean of Peace” initiative, aimed at promoting stability and cooperation within the region, has been criticized by FCOSS for lacking congruence with domestic policies and actions that align with such goals.
FCOSS urges Rabuka to undertake concrete actions like enacting the Uduane Declaration to truly embody the “Ocean of Peace” vision domestically. This call for action underscores the crucial need for uniformity between Fiji’s international commitments and its internal policy execution, paving the way for authentic leadership grounded in environmental integrity and sustainability.
These tensions reflect a broader observation by civil society organizations: the Fijian government’s actions at home are under heavy scrutiny for consistency with its global statements. The Rabuka administration is faced with the dual challenge of upholding credibility internationally while satisfying domestic expectations, underscoring the necessity of aligning its global leadership narrative with practical, nation-specific measures.