Don’t Go to the Media, Says Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged Fijians to take their concerns directly to government officials instead of airing them in newspapers.

In a tweet, the PM said:

"I encourage all concerned citizens to bring their issues directly to the relevant government officials rather than to the editors of daily newspapers. After all, if you needed a haircut, would you go to a tailor?"

However, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad recently raised concerns about civil service productivity.

Speaking on FijiVillage’s Straight Talk, he said some civil servants have become complacent because they have job security.

"Some people feel that because they have a permanent job, they can afford to be a bit slack," Prasad said. He also pointed out that more than a billion dollars—about a quarter of the national budget—goes towards civil service salaries.

If civil servants are slacking off, as the Deputy PM suggests, then the Prime Minister’s advice to go directly to officials may not always work out, and this is where the media plays a critical role in holding those in power to account.