Ocean Governance Leadership Starts At Home

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s recent statements on global ocean leadership are a stark contradiction to his government's actions. While the Prime Minister champions ocean governance on the world stage, his administration's domestic policies tell a different story.

This is not leadership; it is hypocrisy.

Fiji cannot claim to lead the world in protecting our oceans while simultaneously greenlighting the dumping of nuclear waste into the Pacific.

Furthermore, the government has failed to domesticate the regional moratorium on Deep Sea Mining (DSM) under the Uduane Declaration, leaving our waters vulnerable as exploration licenses can still be issued under current law.

There is a popular iTaukei saying: tekivu ena nomu Jerusalemi— and while it translates to "start in your own Jerusalem", it has nothing to do with the recently opened Fiji embassy in Jerusalem.

It means true leadership begins at home.

FCOSS urges the Prime Minister to start at home base. Focus on the low-hanging fruits, domesticate Uduane Declaration for instance, stand with your people in protecting our Pacific ocean and apply his Ocean of Peace concept here before claiming to lead the world.

There is much to be done.

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