A reader asks what is the Roadmap? He'd searched the web on Fiji but found no reference to any such document. A recent issue of Fiji Focus written for the general public by Permanent Secretary of Information, Sharon Smith Johns, provides an explanation and a quick introduction.
This blog has published 78 items that concern parts of the Roadmap. Scroll down left side bar to "Labels/Index" or write "Roadmap" into the "Search this Blog" facility. A link to the full draft document, and a further explanation by PM Bainimarama, is also provided below.
Another reader writes of few signs of progress. Fair enough. But many of the projects in the Roadmap (and indeed in the plans of all governments) are incremental, showing change and improvements only gradually. Fiji's problems were never going to be fixed in a day. Think. Corruption. Efficient Public Service. Housing. Land development.
Government has decided to give prior attention to these physical needs, leaving the Constitution and Electoral reforms until later. A lot of work has been done on some social issues such housing, the minimum wage, poverty, and educational help for the poor. Some dialogue is also going on about political and electoral issues but I think the two should overlap and not be seen as two distinct phases. Government, I think, would reply that it can't do everything at once. Over to Sharon ....
The Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-economic Development and Fiji’s Strategic Framework for Change or the Government’s Roadmap for short are Fiji’s national plan for the next five years 2009 -2014 to improve standards of living, to make life better, to ensure that by 2014 people have more of those things they need to be happy.
This can be done in many ways……. By creating more jobs that can pay reasonable wages, by building so that people can travel in greater comfort, by constructing homes for them to live in and improving health services, sport and leisure activities. These are some of the things the Roadmap sets out to do.
There are many other things in the plan, too. The formulation of a new Constitution, the 2014 General Elections and return to Parliamentary Democracy based on common and equal citizenry elections under a just and fair electoral system- one person one vote - by September 2014.
With the theme of “A Better Fiji for All”, the Roadmap also outlines various areas of reforms or changes that are necessary for rebuilding Fiji into a non-racial prosperous state with equal opportunity for all.
One of the reform areas the Roadmap spells out is the Land. In this issue the Fiji Focus looks at some of the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Land and Mineral Resources to ensure land reforms benefits everyone.
But we must remember that the Roadmap is only a Plan. It cannot by itself achieve. The word and ideas in it need the support of the people- that you – to make the Plan work and reach its goals.
So it is important for everyone in Fiji to be aware of what the Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-economic Development and Fiji’s Strategic Framework for Change is, and how it can move our country forward in the next five years.
Farmers, fishermen, factory workers, teachers, students parents – in fact all of us – can help make the Roadmap work. And if we do that we are really helping ourselves as well as the country move forward to achieve its goal of “A Better Fiji for All”.
As the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said “ my Government has a vision to make Fiji realize its true potential – a potential that can be realized through building a strong nation state, by empowering all our citizens. My Government is a Government of change so this is your opportunity to contribute to modernize, seek incentives and contribute to the development of a sustainable economy and its growth.”
Click here for PM Bainimarama's address to the UN.
Ministries and Departments are engaging in consultations on the Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio Economic Development (RDSSED) 2009 – 2014.
The RDSSED sets out a framework to achieve sustainable democracy, good and just governance, socio- economic development and national unity.
The objective of the Roadmap is to implement policies to achieve the Vision of “A Better Fiji for All” which is consistent with the Peoples Charter and is linked to the Strategic Framework for Change (SFC).
Reaffirming that Government will be an agent of change, Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said changes entailed in the Charter is about the Electoral System, Parliament, Laws, the Public Service and related institutions including priorities in economic and social development, indigenous institutions, the use of land, food and security, how minority interests are protected and enhanced, Fiji’s relations with former Fiji citizens living overseas, race relations, the relationships between religions in Fiji and many other changes.
He reiterated that integral to this process has been the firm commitment of all stakeholders as well as the Government towards the restoration and sustenance of true parliamentary democratic governance, stability and peace in Fiji.
The Roadmap has been inclusive and participatory in that it has been compiled in consultation with the private sector, civil society and government to take on board the current political, social and economic situation both on the international and domestic fronts.
PM Bainimarama emphasized that Government is firm in its endeavor to rebuild Fiji into a non-racial, culturally vibrant and united, well governed, truly democratic nation that seeks progress and prosperity through merit based equality of opportunity and peace. Source.
13 comments:
Nice rhetoric. but where is the road map?
PS: Are you and sharon also on khaiyum's aunts payroll or is that only the big guns?
Looking for that Road Map
The link to the 'full draft document' is not working.
The UN speach is full of spins and lies - for example. "Forced to take over government"...not Frank thta was clearly your choice. "People Charter edorsed by majority of people"...wrong again. It was military rounding up signatures and has never ben audited or tested but even if you believe it was endorsed people where endoring a document that recognised the constitution and rule of of law. Therefore Frank has ignored his own shoddy charter !
I hope the link is just wrong and not some cruel joke because I was looking forward to reading the actual roadmap.
So much spin in all that I'm starting to feel very dizzy.
Reflecting on the original "Road Map"
The current PM announced that cabinet approved a "Road Map" on the 20/2/2007. It's worth reading the actual speech he gave that day.
http://www.fijilive.com/archive/showpdf.php?pdf=2007/02/roadmap.pdf
(it’s a PDF so I can’t copy it to here)
The PM started by saying "we will be ready for a general election and full restoration of democracy as early as 2010". If you read the full speech you will see it is not that different to the speech he gave in 2009 when he also launched a road map (new road map?) but this time with an election in 2014.
In his first road map he promised -
1. Quick economic recovery. This did not happen.
2. Accountability and good governance. Some improvements here but the muzzling of media and PER make it hard to really tell. Government certainly seemed to have gone backwards before going forwards.
3. Sustained growth and prosperity through the restructure of the sugar industry, proper land use and revival of tourism. Tourism is finally improving in 2010 but there is little evidence sugar or land use has been fixed.
He also promised to -
1. Resolve land-lease issues. This is still not resolved.
2. Expand the economy with more jobs, better income and reduce poverty. Min wages increased in some industries but there is not less poverty or better incomes. Inflation has made spending power less. Some external factors have gone against the PM but in general it is fair to say he has completely failed on this one. So much so he had to change the RBF governor to try an get a better spin on things.
The PM also said amendments to the constitution would take two years. Nothing has happened on this front but now we are told it will only take one year to write a whole new constitution and they won't start for some time.
The road map also outlined what needed to be done in preparation for the election. None of these things have happened except the census.
I think why many people are skeptical of the "new road map" is it promises much the same as the first road map and gives government about the same time to achieve it. With a poor track record to date why will they be successful now ?
Why should we give this government another four years when they have achieved so little on things promised in the first four ?
Worrying still is the new road map takes a simplistic sequential view of the world. Fix economy today, don't start anything else until tomorrow. An old friend used to say to me do it today because tomorrow never comes. Will this government ever start work on the new constitution ? They are certainly very very naive to think they can fix the economy without fixing the political crisis they created.
Reflecting on the original "roadmap" - part 2
Croz - now I'm quite concerned. The link you provide to the new road map (the one announced by the PM in 2009 that said elections would be in 2014)is now working - thanks.
However it goes to a document which as far as I can tell is the SDL/Labour multi party led startegic plan for 2007 to 2011. Surely this is not the military PM's roadmap ? And surely this is not the roadmap you refer to when you talk about the progress being made by this government.
I am starting to wonder if any real new roadmap - one detailing how Fiji will move to a fair and sustainable democracy actually exists ?
The old document does make a intersting read and the military government at least in their speaches seem to have taken a lot from the SDL plan. Maybe they are practicing to be politicians ?
Nice try Cros but where is the actual roadmap ? Seems presenting the easter bunny or father christmas to the general public would be a easier task than pinning down the roadmap.
Now what was it everyone agreed to at Natadola ?
@ Reflecting on the original roadmap.... Agree many things have not turned out as hoped but not all can be blamed on Government. And I don't just mean the economy. I don't think they anticipated the appeal verdict of the Australian judges, and many things slowed down then. They also probably under estimated the effect of sanctions.
@ Rhetoric and Anons .... There's really not much point replying. Your minds are made up. But write "Roadmap" in the "Search this Blog" facility in the left side bar to see what has already been done. There's a long way to go but many changes are unspectacular and incremental. I'll have more on the Roadmap soon. Stay tuned in.
A bati ni wai using a roadmap?
@ Reflecting ... Thanks. My error. I've removed it.
Reflecting on the original road map
@ Croz - OK you have removed the incorrect link. Can we please have a link to the actual roadmap then which was the orginal question from a blogger that started your posting and this string ?
Also great to see some critism from you on the latest broken promise. It will be a complete cop-out if they only lift part of the PER that relates to the media. The censors may not be in the offices but the media is still censored, any idiot can tell that.
The PER is effectivly why there is no debate in Fiji right now. People are not even able to meet to discuss issues. I also don't believe for a second there is any debate happening here in Fiji other than the dinner conversations by the yes men the PM has surrounded himself with. Government must remove the PER if they are serious about any progress. Also the longer they leave it the harder it will be to drop because they will get a shock when they start to hear what people really think again.
@ croz...nothing was ever going to be achieved in a day but this regime has had well over 1200 days and still grappling with managing a country like a military. And can i say, just because this regime explains their intentions and expected outcomes,does not mean that the people embrace the sentiment or the means or the final goal. All People see this regime as temporary and their decrees etc will not have any weight except for the power of the gun waiting in the wings , does nay other country in the region have such a situation?
Croz,
The regime has got its priorities wrong with its roadmap. The reason Fiji is having so many macro-economic problems at the moment is precisely because of the lack of legal certainty and political stability.
Attempting to address "physical" issues in that kind of environment is like trying to dress someone for dinner while they are bleeding profusely.
Puzzled!
Moreover any economic recovery is highly unlikely in light of the ALARMING growth in Fiji's contingent liabilities. How much longer will the Regime have the luxury of funding policy initiatives once the manure hits the air-conditioner with the massive mounting losses by FSC, or Air Pacific, or Fiji Hardwood, or Fiji Pine. Or how about the severe and ongoing cash and funding problems at the FEA, or Fiji Water Authority, or the National University of Fiji. Or how about the US$150 million Singapore SE bond that needs to be repaid next year? Or the FJ$80 million Sugar loan that is already due?
These are not "minor" issues, and they are not happening off in some quarantined oasis. They are happening now in Fiji, and they all effect the Regime's ability to spend its stubbornly depressed revenues as and how it wants.
In fact, the idea of a Roadmap is nonsense in that environment since the road you wish to take is immaterial compared to the road you will be obliged to take when the debt-collector turns up at the door!
Post a Comment