Take government leadership beyond Suva: FCOSS

Political parties contesting the upcoming General Election should consider placing deputy prime ministers in Fiji’s divisions instead of concentrating senior government leadership in Suva, Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) executive director Vani Catanasiga says.

Ms Catanasiga said decentralising senior government leadership could improve access to services, strengthen oversight of government agencies and give communities outside the Central Division a more direct voice in government.

She said the idea should be considered by political parties for inclusion in their election manifestos.

"It will help to lift the voice of people and ensure government agencies based at divisional level performed to national standards with constant monitoring by respective DPMs," she explained.

Ms Catanasiga said a large division such as the Northern Division could benefit from having a deputy prime minister based there rather than relying on issues being raised in Suva.

"If there is a DPM based in the North who is consistently in touch with the people, in touch with the communities, monitoring delivery of their promises, this will be so much better," she said.

She said this could give people a more direct avenue to raise concerns with government leaders instead of being told by civil servants to wait.

Ms Catanasiga challenged the concentration of executive leadership in Suva, saying more of it should be moved to the divisional level.

Under her proposal, divisional-based deputy prime ministers could monitor how their respective divisions performed, identify areas requiring improvement and report on the delivery of government priorities.

She said ministerial portfolios could also be decentralised across the divisions.

Ms Catanasiga believed the Eastern and Northern divisions were most affected by delays in government services.

‘Our members face struggle’

Ms Catanasiga said FCOSS members across all four divisions had reported difficulties getting government agencies to address their concerns.

"One of the biggest issues for our members that they continue to reinforce when we meet is the lack of access to government services, lack of effective scrutiny of sub-standard government services at divisional level".

She said communities outside Suva had become accustomed to delays, postponements and slow delivery of development projects and government services.

Ms Catanasiga said political parties should consider decentralising senior government leadership as they develop their policies for the upcoming election.