New Zealand sets the pace for closer cooperation with Fiji

Venkat Raman

Journalists have distinct and unique opportunities to watch development as they happen and partake in experiences with leaders as they meet and agree to put bitterness behind and take bold steps forward in the interest of their peoples.

One such was the visit of John Key during his third and final tenure as Prime Minister to Fiji. It was the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister in a length of time and it was the first that set the tone for a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Since I began my association with Indian Newslink nineteen years ago, my respect and admiration for Fiji and her people has grown steadily, for both are outstanding examples of harmony, friendship and a rare blend of futurism and historic perspective.

The New Zealand government displayed its somewhat unreasonable angst on Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama when he ousted the regime of Laisenia Qarase on December 6, 2006 and began a series of reforms before establishing a viable democracy with the first free and fair General Election held on September 17, 2014.

A New Chapter

I was a part of the small media delegation that accompanied Mr Key to Fiji on June 9, 2016. In many ways, it was historic. After ten years of strained friendship and frosty diplomatic relations New Zealand and Fiji agreed to work together to build bridges of understanding between the two governments and peoples, setting new goals of partnership and progress.

Mr Bainimarama extended his hand of friendship saying, “Let bygones be bygones,’ but not before letting Mr Key have an earful of his anger, frustration and even threat over the ‘way New Zealand acted at a time when Fiji wanted the best understanding of its neighbours.’

Tough Speech

At a no-nonsense, no-holds-barred speech that he delivered at the State Banquet that he hosted in honour of Mr Key at Grand Pacific Hotel on June 9, 2006, he reminded Mr Key of his own earlier comment that ‘what has happened in the past is ancient history.’

“Fiji seeks a new political relationship with New Zealand that is more equal, more rooted in mutual respect, more understanding on New Zealand part of our own priorities – whether it is on the trade front with the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus negotiations or our desire to reform our regional architecture to give Pacific Islanders a bigger voice,” he said.

Mr Bainimarama was always keen that New Zealand must understand that Fiji is still developing its own brand of democracy, which would be distinct from that of New Zealand.

Freedom vs Responsibility

Mr Bainimarama said that press freedom can be possible only if media personnel were unbiased and reported facts and not twisted facts.

“Until then, we will choose who can come into Fiji and report about our country,” he said.

Mr Key was measured in his response.

He said, “Rather than answering every point that you have made,” he said, addressing Mr Bainimarama, “Let us focus on what should be done to improve our relations. A progressive and strong Fiji with a well-rooted democratic tradition. I look forward to constructive discussions during my stay in Fiji,” he said.

New hope with democracy

Fiji held its second democratic election on August 14, 2018, which received endorsement as free and fair by international observers, including those from Australia and New Zealand.

The quadrennial election, on November 14, 2018 was another testimony to that observation. Mr Bainimarama and his FijiFirst returned to the Treasury Benches but with reduced majority.

The world can expect to do increased business with Fiji with the new government pursues its policies and programmes with vigour.

Investment incentives

There are attractive investment incentives, such as tax free regions and low corporate taxes and world-class infrastructure to assist in encouraging new investors from overseas.

The ICT sector in particular has had tremendous success in Fiji.

According to the Sydney-based Fijian Consul General and Trade Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand Zarak Khan, “Fiji is the best kept secret as the next emerging global Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) offshoring destination.”

He said that Fiji has made significant gains in attracting ICT investors from around the world to establish their operations in Fiji, taking advantage of a well-trained and highly qualified workforce in the ICT and BPO sectors.

High-value sectors

“These sectors now employ about 5000 Fijians and contribute about 10% to Fiji’s GDP. The fundamentals of the Fijian economy are very strong to enable this continued growth trajectory and take the ICT and BPO sectors to their next phase of growth. New Zealand based ICT and BPO companies are well-positioned to take advantage of these opportunities,” he said.

Culture of Hospitality

Auckland based Trade and Investment Manager Peter Rudd said that Fiji’s hospitality-oriented culture and naturally friendly Fijian accent have received very positive feedback from New Zealand clients.

“Our clients range in size from very large businesses who are looking to find a reliable, high quality workforce to manage their customer service, to small businesses who are simply looking to streamline their business processes. The ICT sector in Fiji has grown immensely over the last decade with the number of internet users increasing fourfold,” he said.

Natural advantage

This natural advantage, or the ‘Bula Spirit,’ gives Fijians something to differentiate themselves and appear favourable to New Zealand businesses, along with the country’s strategic location and close cultural ties.

The Fijian population is young and educated with a literacy rate of about 96%.

Companies have begun to realise that Fiji can offer much more than simply answering a phone call, but carry out complex tasks in specialised areas such as Finance, Insurance, IT, and Marketing.

Potential to grow

Most ICT and BPO facilities in Fiji have the potential to staff more employees to keep up with the increase in clients. Most of them operate round-the-clock.

For instance, multilingual ICT and BPO operator MindPearl, with a strength of more than 1300 employees, receives calls from all around the world for clients such as Malaysian Airlines, Swiss International Airways, and DHL Express.

Another step forward

One of the foremost events of significance that occurs at summits and conferences of world leaders is the opportunity that it creates for boosting bilateral relations and healing wounds caused by unfortunate developments.

One such great opportunity for New Zealand and Fiji occurred in London on April 19, 2018, when New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Mr Bainimarama met on the side-lines of the Heads of Commonwealth Governments Meeting.

Ms Ardern pledged to take a new approach to regional cooperation, moving from simply being a donor toward becoming a more involved partner in the development of Fiji and other Pacific Island nations.

Bonded destiny

The ties that bind New Zealand and Australia and Fiji are clearly greater than the issues that sometimes divide them.

New Zealanders and Fijians are genuinely fond of each other and nothing is more important to Fiji than continuing to welcome the hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who visit its shores every year. There are also tens of thousands of Fijians living either side of the Tasman, adding the richness of their culture to the great multicultural melting pot that is modern Australia and New Zealand.

Fiji is an important political and social entity and certainly a power in the Pacific.

Countries, big and small, must understand its penchant for equality for its citizens and parity with the rest of the world as an inalienable right.

Global nervousness

There is a certain but implicit nervousness among the advanced countries of the so-called ‘fully-developed nations’ over the developments that were unfolding in Fiji.

While this little, beautiful country of beautiful people have shown resilience over natural disasters, the government has shown fortitude and courage against odds and more importantly, failure of its powerful neighbours understanding its peculiar predicaments.

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Photo Caption:

1. Rugby was the symbol of gift exchanged- Bainimarama received a Rugby ball and presented a T Shirt to John Key with his name inscribed- at the Joint Press Statement in Suva on June 10, 2016
2. Frank Bainimarama with Jacinda Ardern in London on April 19, 2018 (DEPTFO News and Picture)
3. Group photograph taken at the ‘Fiji Diwali Night’ hosted by the Fiji Consul General and Trade Commissioner (Australia & New Zealand) at Grand Mercure Hotel in Auckland on November 2, 2018. Pictures shows standing (from left) Charles Pandey, Chandar Sen, Harish Lodhia, Peter Rudd, Daren Kamali, Ajit Swaran Singh, Albert Ngaro, Zarak Khan, Filimone Waqabaca, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Dr Rajen Prasad
4. Multilingual staff in Fiji speak to the world
5. The ICT and BPO Sectors in Fiji attract overseas businesses