A letter to the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji

ISI has sent a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, asking that, following the change in government, he takes steps to restore trust in Fiji statistics.

Professor Biman Prasad 
Deputy Prime Minister, 
Minister of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics 
Ro Lalabalavu House 
370 Victoria Parade 
Suva 
Fiji 
By email                                                                          

January 2023 

Dear Professor Prasad, 
On 11 October 2021, the ISI wrote to the then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, to express our concern at the dismissal of the Government Statistician without due process. As we said in that letter, the Government Statistician in all countries is the key publisher of evidence about the economic and social conditions within the country, and of social and economic progress. The political independence of the Government Statistician is important in assuring the integrity and trustworthiness of official statistics.  

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics, because of its history, comparative scale and breadth of activity has long played a critical part in assuring international confidence in official statistics of the Pacific region, both through the strength of its leadership and its contribution to professional practice. 

Following the recent change in government, I would urge you to consider taking steps to restore trust in Fiji Statistics, by clarifying and reinforcing the extent of independence of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, and if necessary, strengthening the Statistics Act of Fiji on this matter.  

The ISI would be happy to provide any informal advice on how this might be done. 

I am copying this to Maria Musodroka, Head of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics. 

Yours sincerely, 

Stephen Penneck  
President, ISI