The transparent government is casting a shadow. Surprisingly, money was spent to have an official opening ceremony when work continues on the $25 million regional airport.

What did we celebrate two weeks ago? An unfinished building which still requires work and was not used during the CHOGM.

Yet we went ahead and celebrated the official opening of the building and even ‘sponsored’ a B737 aircraft from Fiji Airways as decoration. 

This brings into question, the tender process for the work. When was the tender advertisement issued, how many applied and who approved the tender? Can someone in the government answer this, please?

The purpose of a regional terminal has to be questioned as well. There is a broader vision to fly to other countries in the Pacific, but that will only be possible if it is viable and profitable. The Nadi International Airport receives flights from most Pacific destinations because Fiji serves as a hub of the Pacific housing most regional and international organisations and businesses. That cannot be said about Samoa.

Why would Niue, Nauru and Vanuatu or Solomon Islands fly to Samoa? The only regional flights to and from Samoa are to Pago Pago and Nadi. Last year, the Fagalii Airport was re-opened at $2.6 million for direct flights to Pago Pago.

Does it mean that the Fagalii Airport will be closed and all flights will take off from the new regional terminal? Nothing has started.

A quick call to the Airport Authority reveals that the new regional terminal is not in function and all flights to Fiji are still happening from the international airport. It feels that the regional terminal could be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

There could also be a better use of public funds. We urgently need a new hospital, we need medical equipment, there is a shortage of doctors and nurses and better pay is needed to entice them, teachers are leaving because of pay disparity and education should be made free. We need better roads and drainage.

The reluctance of the government to explain the situation to the public also shows a lack of transparency. This is a concern because, over the last few years, the government has become less transparent than ever before.

This is a worrying trend because now the government feels that they are not accountable to the people of this country. The attitude is becoming more dictatorial and less democratic. People still are not being told how the millions are being used as none of the district council finances have been made public and the reports into the missing $175,000 from Saleleloga No.2 are still secret and police have not been involved.

Accountability and transparency are two important elements of good governance. Transparency is a powerful force that, when consistently applied, can help fight corruption, improve governance and promote accountability.

Accountability and transparency encompass many of the same actions and these actions have to be employed by the government.

Everyone, especially elected officials and civil servants needs to be made accountable for their actions when it comes to public funds.

This project needs to be audited.