Editorial: Ratu Sukuna’s legacy raises questions about leadership today

Leadership at the highest level in Fiji is under increasing public scrutiny.

Questions about how Government is being run, concerns over absenteeism in Parliament, and growing frustration over delivery have become more visible.

At the same time, the country continues to face pressure from the rising cost of living, land issues, fuel prices, and ongoing debates around leadership within the iTaukei community.

Together, these issues point to a nation searching for steadier and more account­able leadership.

In this context, the legacy of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna stands as a clear benchmark.

Ratu Sukuna's leadership was based on duty, not display. His education, military service, and legal training were not for personal status, but for public service.

This simple principle remains important to­day, when public trust depends on whether leaders are seen to be working for the country or for them­selves.

A key lesson from Ratu Sukuna is discipline. Lead­ership in his time required presence, preparation, and responsibility.

Today, concerns about parliamen­tary absenteeism raise questions about commitment to public office.

When elected leaders are not consist­ently present, it weakens both governance and public confidence.

Rau Sukuna also understood the importance of land. His work helped shape systems that protected indigenous ownership while allowing development to take place.

Land remains one of Fiji's most sensi­tive and important issues. It continues to sit between tradition, development needs, and political debate. The balance he worked to create is still not fully re­solved.

Another lesson is unity. Ratu Sukuna led during a time of change, but he focused on bringing people to­gether rather than allowing division to grow.

Today, Fiji continues to face political differences, tensions within leadership structures, and wider questions of national unity. His approach was based on coopera­tion and shared responsibility.

Economic pressures also test leadership. The cost of living, fuel prices, and uneven development are affecting many households. Ratu Sukuna's time also had challenges, but leadership then was often marked by restraint and long-term thinking, rather than short-term response.

Above all, Ratu Sukuna's leadership was built on credibility. It came from conduct, consistency, and service. He did not rely on noise or political perfor­mance, but on action and responsibility. That is why his name still carries weight today.

The key question is whether Fiji's current leader­ship still measures itself against that standard, or whether that standard has been allowed to fade.