'Editorial': Fiji's rush to cashless

When the Ministry of Health and Medical Services issued a public notice on going cashless come June 3, 2024, it suddenly opened a can of worms.

While the central bank, the commercial banks and many of the business community are moving away from cash payment to promote transparency and accountability, the majority rejected the idea.

What came as an even big shock was that the head of Government, Sitiveni Rabuka, and the line minister, Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, argued that any such directive must be made in accordance with Cabinet decisions.

Surely, consultations should have been made before such undertaking. However, as we later uncovered, on our front page article yesterday, only a few sectors of society were consulted.

This included some religious and faith-based organisations.

Some faith-based organisations too, as we discovered, were accepting online transfers of tithes and offerings from its congregations.

Kudos to them!

But who are these leaders to dictate the payment preference of his or her follower?

So, a cashless payment method was not widely consulted to the majority, as Semi Tukana, founder of Sole Fintech said, who 'have the buying power in their hands'.

For ordinary citizens, the working class, those living from paycheque to paycheque, the non-tech savvy population as well as senior citizens, it would be challenging to transition to a one-payment-only method.

Sole Fintech founder Semi Tukana.

Fiji is still a developing nation, as our regular contributor Ronnie Chang, rightly points out. And as such, why are authorities bent on a cashless economy just to 'keep up with the Joneses'?

Another way to look at it is the emerging number of charges before the courts in relation to obtaining financial advantage by deception through mobile money transfers?

Gullible and hardworking Fijians are being siphoned of their hard-earned cash through these modes of payment that end up at their disadvantage.

Cashless payment is unarguably the way forward.

It is safer than the use of cash, is efficient, accountable and transparent.

On the safer argument, how can these ordinary Fijians stay alert of the red flags that's associated with financial fraud or deception?

Realistically, is Fiji, with all its development issues and challenges, ready for this payment overhaul?

Aren't the decision-makers just contradicting themselves at the expense of the majority of Fijians?

We often hear of financial inclusion, financial literacy, and economic empowerment among the powers that be, but all that will be for naught if we don't walk the talk to ensure a level playing field for all.

Feedback: ranobab@fijisun.com.fj