Global trends will continue to challenge us — geopolitics, inflation, energy costs, and digital transformation among them but in these challenges, we also find opportunities to diversify our economy, to upskill our youth, to attract sustainable investment and to build institutions of integrity and innovation.
Those are the comments of Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka as he opened the 50th Annual Congress of the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nadi today.
Rabuka says the government is doing its part to harness these opportunities but no government can do this alone.
He says they need partners who understand scale and sustainability.
Rabuka says the government needs trusted advisors, like the professionals in the room, who will hold the line on ethics and champion transparency in every ledger, every audit and every boardroom.
The Prime Minister also said to the young professionals attending the Congress for the first time that they are the present and future of the profession.
Rabuka says their ideas, energy, and values will define the next 50 years.
He called on them to be bold, ethical and curious.
He adds they are more than accountants, they are nation-builders.
Rabuka says for 53 years, Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants has played a defining role in Fiji’s national development, building not only a profession, but a community of trusted professionals who have helped shape institutions, policy, and public confidence in financial governance.
He says FICA today represents a powerful network of professionals whose expertise is evident at all levels of our national life, from boardrooms to classrooms and from public enterprises to private innovation.
The Prime Minister says two members of their very own Institute now serve in his Cabinet, Manoa Kamikamica, whose also one of his Deputy Prime Ministers, and Aseri Radrodro, the Minister for Education.
He says this year’s theme, “Shaping Fiji for Tomorrow’s Challenges and Opportunities”, is not only timely, but also a call to action.
He adds Fiji is at a critical juncture - the Coalition Government assumed office during one of the most complex economic periods in our recent history — marked by the impacts of the pandemic, global inflation, supply chain disruptions, and rising climate vulnerability, but he says they also saw this as an opportunity for transformation.
Rabuka says through the Fiscal Review Committee, chaired by Professor Biman Prasad, they have initiated critical work to repair our public finances, strengthen revenue systems, and restore investor confidence.
He says they are actively addressing debt sustainability, prioritising investment in high-impact infrastructure, and focusing on inclusive economic growth that reaches every province, business, and household.
Rabuka adds their collaboration with the private sector is central to this mission.
He says our Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises sector, the backbone of employment and local enterprise, has received renewed focus.
He adds that they are also entering an era where Environmental, Social and Governance principles are not optional — they are essential.
The Prime Minister says climate change is already disrupting lives and livelihoods in our maritime communities, and as a nation on the frontlines of this global crisis, we need financial professionals who understand climate risk, who can advise on sustainable resource use, and who can support green financing frameworks.
He also urged the accountants to continue with the outreach to our rural, remote, and maritime regions.
Rabuka says when a mother in Lau learns to manage her family’s income and savings, when a young entrepreneur in Seaqaqa learns how to formulate a business plan, when a student in Tailevu comprehends the importance of accounting and auditing, and when a professional woman in Nadi acquires skills and confidence to take up senior leadership roles, that is how we build a Fiji that is financially empowered.
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