FCOSS President Sepesa Rasili [Source: FCOSS/Facebook]

The Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) has expressed serious concern over the government’s recent restructuring of key ministries, warning that the changes could derail important reforms vital to people-centred development and accountable governance.

FCOSS President Sepesa Rasili says the decision to separate the Ministry of Finance from Strategic Planning and National Development raises red flags, as both areas are central to ensuring coordinated planning, sound fiscal management, and transparent implementation of national priorities.

Rasili says these ministries were leading critical reforms that promised to make government more responsive, transparent, and data-driven, and splitting them at such a crucial stage risks losing the momentum that has been built toward evidence-based policymaking.

He says the organisation noted that the Ministry of Finance had recently made tangible progress in strengthening public finance management (PFM) — from improving transparency in the annual budget cycle to addressing long-standing implementation bottlenecks.

Rasili also commended the Ministry’s collaboration with non-governmental organisations, including its own, in advancing the new National Development Plan, its implementation framework, and the recent rollout of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) training for government agencies.

“This is exactly the kind of coordinated, inclusive governance that works — one that links planning, financing, and delivery to achieve real results for citizens,”

The Council also highlighted progress in Disaster Risk Financing and the National Population Policy consultations led by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics — both of which are key to ensuring resilience and long-term national development.

However, Rasili cautioned that transferring some of these critical responsibilities to the Office of the Prime Minister could undermine efficiency rather than improve it.

Rasili also warned that justifying the reshuffle on grounds of efficiency risks masking deeper issues of political convenience and disconnection from public service principles.

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