Mosese Raqio 
[File Photo]
The Fiji Council of Social Services has rejected claims that NGOs are too critical of the government.
Speaking on FBC TV’s Your Voice program, FCOSS Executive Director Vani Catanasiga says their advocacy is grounded in official data and real community experiences.
Catanasiga says NGOs rely on budget estimates and Auditor-General reports when raising concerns. Critics, she adds, should consult the same documents before questioning the role of civil society.
“Many of the systems that exist right now, that are taxpayer-funded, have their backs to the people. We want the systems we fund to serve us first. That’s not asking for too much, is it?”
Catanasiga says NGOs remain on the ground during crises, stepping in when systems fail.
Meanwhile, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Sakiasi Ditoka, agrees that systems must improve but says solutions require partnerships across government, civil society, the private sector, and communities.
Ditoka says their goal is to create people-first systems that are community-centred, inclusive, and coordinated.
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