Fiji faces a mounting cost-of-living crisis as soaring global commodity prices strain households.

This, according to Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu.

He warned that escalating geopolitical tensions particularly in the Middle East would driving inflation and hitting low-income households hardest.

Speaking in Parliament in response to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu’s opening address for the fourth and final parliamentary session of the Coalition Government, Seruiratu stated that supply chain shocks are already pushing prices of fuel, food, utilities and transportation higher, creating severe pressure on low-income households.

According to Seruiratu, t national poverty remains at 24 percent, with over 86 percent of rural Fijians living in poverty and 28 percent of children in multidimensional poverty. Wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, forcing some families to skip meals or live in overcrowded conditions.

“Whilst government is addressing poverty through social protection programs, measures must be taken to reduce these rates through empowerment strategies and sustained economic growth. This is a case of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. It’s a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. The surge in the prices of goods, Mr. Speaker, sir, has triggered a severe cost of living crisis which is disproportionately affecting many households, especially those in low-income brackets.”
Seruiratu also warned that technological change and AI are reshaping the job market, with many young Fijians struggling to secure well-paying employment and increasingly seeking work overseas.

He called for innovative strategies to create good-paying jobs and urged the government to consider setting up a special committee to monitor and mitigate the ripple effects of global inflation.

He also slammed the government for weak accountability, demanding stronger oversight of its actions.

Seruiratu called for parliamentary select committees and special briefings to rigorously monitor government performance.

He stressed that the opposition’s duty is to hold government accountable, not to score political points.

He highlighted that parliamentary oversight is essential to ensure alternative proposals and minority voices are included in governance.

Seruiratu also focused on development and equity, noting that growth initiatives must be fair, inclusive and sustainable.

He cited the 2009 rural development framework, originally intended to coordinate rural growth and promote equity but whose impact was diluted by policy and administrative changes.

Seruiratu welcomed the current review by the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development, emphasizing that proper implementation and monitoring are key to delivering meaningful benefits to rural communities.

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