Fix home before grand plans

The ceremonial Guard of Honour outside Parliament yesterday was marked by admiration, signalling the final stretch for the three-legged coalition Government.

With the General Election looming, the President’s address should have outlined a decisive roadmap to address Fiji’s most urgent crises, particularly the harsh realities faced daily at the grassroots level.

These include the rise in HIV infections and the spread of illicit drugs, especially methamphetamine and cocaine, which are destroying communities.

Violence against women and children continues, while the cost of living suffocates ordinary families.

These are not new problems; they are worsening by the day.

Three years on, the much-promised constitutional review remains stalled, while leadership has been distracted by internal conflicts, ministerial dismissals, costly inquiries, pay rise controversies, and allegations that erode public trust.

Meanwhile, children still wade through flooded rivers to reach school, civil servants face intimidation, and communities live in fear of escalating crime. This is unacceptable.

Government cannot afford to spend its final quarter focused on international issues while Fijian children cry at home.

Calls for unity must be matched with urgent and visible action, stronger law enforcement, decisive drug crackdowns, protection for the vulnerable, and immediate support for struggling households.

Attempting grand structural reforms without fixing problems at home will be futile.

This is the last hurdle. Government must act — not merely speak — to restore trust, enforce order, and prove it still serves the people of Fiji.