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Issue No: 879; 23 June 2001
The condemnation of the performance of the Qarase regime by two USP academics has been endorsed by veteran economist Savenaca Siwatibau, and sugar industry personality Gerald Barrack. The University academics, Dr. Mahendra Reddy and Dr. Umesh Chand had argued that the Fijian economy was suffering because of bad governance, corruption, break down in law and order, a collapse in the confidence in the judiciary, and a general malaise in the performance of the civil service. The duo were condemned by the regime's bureaucrats. The Office of the Prime Minister has also written to the USP indicating that the two be taken to task for the statements. Yesterday, Gerald Barrack, who chairs numerous boards, told the Fiji Institute of Accountants Congress that a major problem in Fiji was the inefficient civil service. He stated: "There is a lot of inefficiency in the public sector and this needs addressing". Referring to inefficient civil servants, he stated: "If I had my say, I would fire them". Savenaca Siwatibau, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the current Vice Chancellor of the USP also hit out at the conduct of the public sector. Siwatibau stated that the major problem confronting the Fijian economy was bad governance, and lack of confidence in the judiciary and law and order. Today the Fiji Sun has also endorsed the comments made by the academics, and Barrack and Siwatibau. The People's Coalition Government had managed to raise the
performance of the civil service significantly. Many Fiji civil servants in the
country are well qualified but their performance has been hindered and their
motivation thwarted by incapable heads of sections. Some senior civil servants,
particularly at the Permanent Secretary level, had been playing the role of
politicians under the SVT regime. This group continues to run the Qarase regime
as its cabinet is totally ineffective. The same group has developed a string of
crony relationship within the civil service, and has been responsible for the
declining standard of the civil service output. The Qarase regime does not have
the will to face this clique. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
