The Fiji Government today re-affirms its commitment towards a free, independent and autonomous judiciary, and is calling on the Australia and New Zealand governments to be reasonable with their policies which right now border more on victimizing both local and international legal persons and institutions from helping Fiji in its re-building efforts.
Government spokesperson and Permanent Secretary for Information, Lt-Col Neumi Leweni, this afternoon said Government is extremely conscious of the importance of an independent judiciary in the country’s ultimate objective of creating a truly democratic nation that is socially, economically and holistically progressive.
“Government is acutely aware of the need to have an independent judiciary to strengthen our legal systems, help restore law and order and encourage people to have more confidence in the country,” Lt-Col Leweni said.
“An independent judiciary is a fundamental requirement in any nation that aspires to build a foundation of peace and harmony amongst its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, a foundation that allows for social, economic and political growth, and one that encourages greater and equal prosperity for all its citizens.”
Lt-Col Leweni said Australia and New Zealand should not confuse the independent role and functions of the judiciary from the socio-political and economic reforms the Government is now undertaking through its Strategic Framework for Change Roadmap.
Instead, he encouraged the international community to take a closer look at Fiji’s progress since 2006 and again since April 2009.
“Our Judiciary is being restored and allowed to actively contribute to the nation’s re-building efforts; law and order are evidently in place; Fiji’s crime rate is progressively decreasing; people are moving on with their lives; our economy is stabilizing and there is every likelihood investment will begin to rise.
“There is so much progress that is happening right now. And, importantly, there is very good evidence that corruptive practices, which was one of the reasons the Military had to step-in in 2006, is disappearing very quickly,” Lt-Col Leweni said.
“These are all attributable to the professionalism, integrity and independence of our judiciary,” he said.
He said Government has no intentions whatsoever in interfering with the functions of the judiciary.
“On the contrary, Government is deeply concerned about the efforts of so-called democratically advanced nations to stifle Fiji’s progress through the victimization of persons who want to and feel the need to restore Fiji’s judiciary.”
“We call on the governments of Australia and New Zealand to remove their draconian and inhumane policies against Fiji, and in fact, facilitate the peaceful and speedy transition of Pacific Islands nations from our ‘developing phase’ to a ‘developed state’ where we could complement each other’s growth and prosperity in the region and internationally,” Lt-Col Leweni said.