Correspondent's Notebook

Living rough in Fiji

4 June 2010

Pacific correspondent Campbell Cooney reflects on his assignment to Fiji and how ordinary Fijians are faring under the rule of interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

“Excuse me sir, can I ask you a question?’ “Sure” I said. “What would like to know?” “Are you” she asked “By chance related to Sir Elton John?” It was not a question I was expecting, and the person asking, the cleaner at my hotel in Fiji’s capital Suva, seemed clearly disappointed when I told her that I was no relation to one of the world’s most famous entertainers.

But I should not have been surprised about being asked. Fiji’s people are amongst the friendliest and hospitable you will ever meet, and they are always curious about why you are there and who you are.

That said. I still do not think I bear any resemblance to Sir Elton. Since the 2006 Coup I’ve been to Fiji on assignment for the ABC five times, the last time before this visit was in February last year. At the start of Easter 2009 the military regime led by 2006 coup leader and interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama forced the scrapping of the country’s constitution. A few days after that, my ABC colleague Sean Dorney, originally in the country to cover another event, was deported, and since then censorship has been enforced on all local media, with a ban on anything critical of the country’s leaders.

The brief for my visit was to try and get an interview with the interim Prime Minister. But I was also to report on the state of the economy and conditions for its people, nearly four years after the coup, nearly two years after the Global Financial Crisis, and just over a year since the constitution was scrapped with Fiji being ruled by decree since then.

Entry to Fiji though, for the international media is no longer easy. After discussions with a number of different officials wanting different information, I got the go ahead. On arrival I got in touch with my contact in the Ministry of Information, to ask if there had been any progress on my interview request. I was told he’d check and get back to me, “And by the way” he said, he, and the man I knew as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Lieutenant Colonel Neumi Leweni, Fiji’s chief censor, and other key staff had been moved to the Ministry of Lands. “When did this happen? I asked, expecting him to say “Just yesterday”. “About a fortnight ago” he said. “But don’t worry, I’ll pass the message on and I’ll get back to you later today”. I did not hear from him for the rest of the trip. And despite the efforts of the new Permanent Secretary for Information, I did not get an interview the interim Prime Minister. Commodore Bainimarama was either too busy, out of town, out of contact, or perhaps, just not interested. That left the economy, and conditions, as story topics.

At a quick glance down the streets of Central Suva, life seems good. There is plenty of cars, and just as many shops open as last time I was here, maybe even more. But when I looked a little closer it was clear there are now more Fijians living rough, relying on begging and handouts for survival.

The interim government’s own statistics indicate around 40 percent of all families now live in poverty. Last year’s devaluation of the dollar by 20 percent has helped keep tourist visitor numbers up. But the devaluation means anything imported, which includes many foodstuffs and all Fiji’s fuel, is dearer. A lot dearer.

One of the residents of Fiji’s many shanty towns told me sheep meat imported from New Zealand and Australia, products he called “poor man’s meat”, neck chops and mutton flaps, are now to expensive. Vegetables and chicken are the staple. But, chicken produced in Fiji, is getting dearer, and that increased demand means producers are killing birds at a younger age. Not only are Fijians paying more, they are getting less fowl for their dollar. It was not actually till I was leaving that I realised my trip had coincided with Fiji’s coup season. Two of Fiji’s four coups in the past 20 years, the first of 1987 and the coup of 2000, were launched in May. Commodore Bainimarama’s did not happen till December 2006. But the fact he still holds power, means this time, coup season in Fiji, lasts all year.