:fiji in full swing
The state of Fiji after the 2006 Coup
THE 2006 COUP TRANSFORMED the
social, political, cultural and economic life in
Fiji in a significant way, but as in past coups,
Fiji is bouncing back as the constitutional
review process is in full swing in preparation
for the anticipated 2014 election.
With growth in tourism, a potential
mining boom, the revival of the sugar
industry, opening of more hydro-electric
dams and increased investment, there is
optimism that the next ten years will be one
of dramatic economic growth. However,
there are multiple problems to overcome.
The first is to elect a government which is
not only democratically legitimate but also
technically efficient and ethically reliable.
Many development initiatives in the past
have been plagued by lack of competence
and corruption. The second is to rebuild
the social institutions and processes which
were unilaterally destroyed by the military
when they took over power. The third is to
recreate a new sense of trust and goodwill
to overcome the social fractures and hurt
resulting from the coercive and authoritarian
rule of the military. While the rhetoric of a
multiracial Fiji is being articulated loudly
by the military government, the real test is
in terms of putting in place structural and
normative mechanisms to ensure that it is
sustainable.
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