[Photo: File]

Fiji’s historical records are at risk of being lost due to inadequate storage, outdated technology and years of underinvestment.

Parliament has been warned that urgent investment is needed to protect the country’s documentary heritage.

The concerns were raised during debate on the National Archives’ 2023-2024 annual report, which identified funding shortages, delays in upgrading its IT infrastructure and limitations in managing and preserving historical records.

Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua said Parliament had a responsibility to ensure the National Archives was properly resourced, warning that important records documenting Fiji’s history could easily be lost.

He shared his own experience researching the history of his tribe and its displacement from land in Coral Town, where he discovered records documenting the circumstances surrounding the relocation of his ancestors.

Tikoduadua said the archival documents also helped him uncover details about his family’s history, including the origins of his name and traditional cultural practices that were previously unfamiliar to him.

He said the records provided evidence that could not easily be found elsewhere, demonstrating why preserving them was important not only for researchers but also for future generations of Fijians.

Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu also raised concerns about the growing volume of records and limited storage capacity, suggesting the establishment of an off-site storage facility.

He said the National Archives held significant historical material, including Fiji Land Claims Commission records from 1875 to 1881, Indian indenture records from 1879 to 1916 and Polynesian immigration records from 1870 to 1911.

Seruiratu also called for a review of the Public Records Act to reflect modern government operations, including electronic correspondence, virtual meetings and digital record management.

He further argued that the Government should establish a National Library under the existing National Archives administrative structure to strengthen literacy, education and research.

Information Minister Lynda Tabuya confirmed that the long-delayed upgrade of the National Archives’ IT server had finally progressed following delays in the tender process between 2023 and 2025.

She said the government had allocated $264,000 for the restoration and upgrading of the server infrastructure, with completion expected before April 2027.

Tabuya said the upgrade would support access to approximately 2,000 hours of historical audiovisual material and more than 100,000 restored and digitised historical photographs, alongside other important national and legal records.

She also revealed plans to expand digitisation services to the Northern and Western divisions and eventually establish Fiji’s first National Library.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran highlighted the importance of archival records in correcting historical accounts and strengthening understanding between Fiji’s communities.

She cited research into the 1884 Syria shipwreck, saying oral histories from communities in northern Rewa challenged colonial accounts that had credited colonial administrator Dr William MacGregor with the rescue while portraying indigenous Fijians negatively.

Kiran said archival documents, historical newspaper reports and oral accounts helped establish that people from northern Rewa had mobilised traditional methods to rescue those caught in the shipwreck.

She also highlighted the digitisation of approximately 60,000 individual Indian indenture immigration passes, allowing descendants to trace their family histories without relying solely on fragile physical documents.

Opposition MP Jone Usamate questioned why the Archives’ database upgrade had repeatedly failed to progress through government processes, saying attempts to secure approval had been delayed for years.

He also supported the proposed National Library, arguing that Fiji needed stronger research and educational access to its own historical records rather than relying on unverified accounts circulating on social media.

The Standing Committee on Social Affairs has recommended increased funding, additional specialist staff, modern digital infrastructure and improved records management to address the challenges facing the National Archives.