The Coalition government continues to play down the significance of the fact that an estimated 114,000 Fijians have left the country since 2018 and has certainly done nothing to provide them with an incentive to stay, such as assuring the minorities that they are valued members of the community, with equal rights that will be respected.
The notion has taken hold that while Fiji has lost almost 12 per cent of its population in six years, the upside is that many of those who’ve left will continue to support those left behind with remittances. So what’s the big deal?
“Plenty”, says the respected local businessman and former FNU deputy chancellor, Arvind Maharaj, in an opinion piece for the Fiji Times that is required reading for anyone who cares about the nation’s future and is wary of the “no big deal” spin being peddled by the likes of Biman Prasad.
The scale of the fallout from this mass exodus is genuinely alarming. And I urge Grubsheet readers to not only read Maharaj’s excellent article but spread the word about its implications. Because as things stand, this should be at the top of the national agenda and instead, we are burying our heads in the sand as we hurtle towards economic catastrophe.
As Arvind Maharaj says, Fiji is building the economic capacity of countries like Australia and New Zealand but destroying its own. And urgent action is needed now to stem the outflow and address its consequences before it’s too late.
This is a very relevant and timely piece by Arvind Maharaj.
One issue that he fails to address, and one can perhaps understand why, is the issue of ‘governance’. If one looks at the Strategic and development plans of any country (Fiji included), or the UN SDGs, ‘governance’ is stated as one of the most important pillars for development.
The reality in Fiji is people have lost faith in the government they elected to help establish trust, dignity, equality, weed out corruption and govern in fair, transparent manner for all people who call this place home.
Rabuka, supported by the hypocritical NFP under Baiman, are blatantly ruling in a manner that is completely an antithesis of liberal democracy. Our judiciary is compromised, Ministers (and nearly every Govt MP is one) are running their little chiefdoms as they like, with little accountability, oversight and in blatant disregard of the fundamentals of good governance.
The young people do not have the time or patience to navigate this circus and it seems their immediate priority after acquiring skills, training etc is move to a country that values and rewards them. A common sense option. Let us start or continue a career where there is an end goal and the institutions will protect your interests.
People are leaving Fiji for safety, a better life and future. Why do people want to keep others in Fiji – a country with reduced safety and lower standard of life, and discourage them from migrating out of the country permanently?
We have all these migrant workers – they come in, do a good job and send the bulk of their remittances back to their home country (where they are not termed as vulagis ).
Not a single one I have spoken to wants to stay in the coconut republic.
Their work ethic is way above that of the locals but not many migrant workers pay taxes and they all use the ailing infrastructure.
Don’t be suprised that soon one day there will be nobody physically present in Fiji. They will all be travelling overseas enjoying the remittance money. The remittance from overseas will keep coming into their bank account and they will use their card all around the world. Then there will be no need for any government in Fiji. No departments except immigration/customes to issue/renew passports and manage returning and parting Fiji residents (no tourists) . Or should they still have a government all ministers and MPs will be based overseas full time. No more vulagis in Fiji but Vulagis all around the world.
I have no sympathy for the Arvind guy — he is propagating the viewpoint of the industry/employers who have historically kept wages deliberately suppressed.
Their greed has caught up with them.
Whenever there was a call for fair wages they ganged up and sabotaged it, claiming it would cripple the economy, businesses would close and there would be job losses, while continuing to mint money and make millions by exploiting poor and desperate workers.
They were espousing free market and free enterprises, threatening to take their businesses offshore and insisting wages should be decided by the market, not by government control or imposition.
Businesses continued to make money and politicians continued to increase their salary — only the poor workers were expected to make sacrifices to save the economy. The businesses thrived on slave labour while the politicians thrived by taxing the middle class.
Now the shoe is on the other foot.
Now that the market is in favor of skilled workers and labourers, they are whinging like bitches.
As the business owners used to tell us, ‘let the market decide’!
Well said, Greedy+±.
As much as truth is difficult to digest, Fijian workers across the board have long suffered with depressed wages and near zero fringe benefits. Sick leave is not just frowned upon. Wage is often deducted for sick absences.
Unions have long played both sides with dead wood leaders singing from the same hymns from the 1960s, using the same militant language. These union leaders refuse to step aside to let new leaders come up.
The workforce demographics have changed significantly. We are past the days of uneducated work force. Be that manufacturing, service, retail, electricians, builders, tile layers, and any industry workers. Now, we have people with academic qualifications and skilled qualities to back up their fair wage expectations. We no longer need the same old trope of outmoded and outdated confrontational unionism from the 1960s.
Some union leaders have held executive positions for decades – 20, 30, 40 years! Good grief.
When A. Maharaja says employers have to pay “premium wages” to foreign workers, plus recruiting and work permit costs, he does not explain the reasons the unemployed chose to remain unemployed. It is not only because they are all getting remittances to live on. No!
Local employers simply must pay local employees better wages and benefits consumate with their skills, education, training, and experience, plus the cost of living considerations.
Good governance is compulsory, too, to make this happen. And to plan education and vocational training according to the labor market demands.
BTW, limiting certain types of skills and professional qualifications will simply mean people will adapt and gravitate to those professions that can take them abroad.
The government is not helping. In fact, this government has accelerated flight (brain drain) because of racist policies, double justice standards, endemic corruption, and ethnic purging in the civil service.
The government’s message is plain, minority groups are not wanted. And so the message is cear. So much so that another writer has reflected on the fact that Indo-Fijian numbers could soon be closer to 25% or even go down to one-fifth.
We have a billeregent finance and economic minister and an even more dumb nincompoop sugar minister. Together, it is safe to say that both do not exactly inspire any confidence.
The three DPMs together make the three Stooges look intelligent. At least the three Stooges did not bury their heads in the sand.
We can just as readily add the baboon ag and justus minister, tourism minister, labor minister, information minister, education minister, and several other ministers to this dumb and dumber equation. An exclusive club they are, too.
A. Maharaj makes very pertinent points and presents an accurate overview. His contribution should not be dismissed by any means. Good information to start important conversations and to make the government think.
The possible solutions aren’t going to be quick or easy unless and until we have good governance (transparency, less corruption, merit based hiring, etc) and less corporate greed.
My imaginary COP Party ( Community of Patriots)
Would negotiate a treaty with New Zealand and Australia.
The treaty would , in general, allow for free travel access and work under Treaty terms.
Both ways;
Fijians would be allowed 3 year? 5 year work permits with some restrictive conditions.
* end of term, (girimit) – must return for a least 2 years before re-applying.
( absolutely no possibility of applying for PR or any other visa under this scheme)
Employment under any skill and with any employer – free from restrictions.
* all under this system must have FNPF deductions made to their salaries.
FNPF Office in every State capital.
* Fiji income taxes to be paid. Full FNPF deduction is made, except that employer does not pay, the worker pays full amount, of which what would be the eployers contribution would in favt be tax. FNPF Office in each Capital city would trf tax amount to FIRCA
* Get rid of PALM.
* Those applying to work n reside outside of the treaty may find it more difficult. Family reunion would be the easiest pathway under the new treaty system.
*****************
This system makes it easier for our young to work n travel and gain experince rather have to cut all ties with mother Fiji.
They will get work anywhere in Australia in any industry and know that they have not cut ties with their country of birth but now in fact be able to save and build something here at home, learn and experience, and bring back capital for a house, a business or both.
Imagine:
Fijians being able to work at anything
In the mines, on fishing vessels, out jackarooing.
Picking fruit? WTF!!!!!
F that.
I have a dream
but trapped in this Westminster system of governance that is a true horror,
a nightmare that will only end in an inevitable train wreck.
I have to thank Biman for one thing. He made my decision to migrate a unquestionable one.
Whilst the exodus commenced under the previous Government it has significantly increased under the current one. The figure of 114,000 is a conservative one, with others suggesting it is around 130,000 and climbing.
The current government have no policies to stop the exodus and the rhetoric of members of the PAP aimed at minorities is aiding the departure of many.
Young professionals and recent graduates are seeking a better life where their qualifications, talent and expertise are recognized and rewarded, and Fiji is not seen as being the place to stay.
The Civil Service is another example where appointment or promotion is based on ethnicity, who you know or at related to and whether you are a member of the ruling party. This provides no incentive to anyone, particularly those with qualifications.
Fiji will continue to lose its future generations.
It all began with Rabuka in 1987 and there is nothing on the horizon to stem the flow.
ooh ooh aah aah.
ooh ooh aah aah.
aaah.
and so say all of us.