State in Fiji

The Constitution has supreme legal authority in Fiji. Its Bill of Rights in sections 6 to 45 protects life, liberty, fair trial, administrative justice, speech, assembly, association, movement, religion, privacy and equality. It also recognizes rights concerning land, education, health, housing, food and water, social security, the environment, children and persons with disabilities. Constitutional rules also govern states of emergency, including the limits and procedures set out in sections 43 and 154. Fiji has a unicameral Parliament, meaning that its legislature has one chamber. Parliament consists of 55 elected members and a Speaker who is not an elected member. It makes laws, represents the public, scrutinizes the Executive, approves the national budget and considers treaties. The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and ministers. The President is the constitutional head of state and generally acts on the advice of the Government. Parliament provides public access through its website, public gallery, committees, Hansard, written questions and petitions. A petition requires a Fiji citizen's signature and endorsement by a Member of Parliament, and it normally must be submitted at least two weeks before it is tabled. A petition does not replace an election. The Judiciary is separate from the political branches. The Supreme Court is Fiji's final appeal court. The Court of Appeal hears intermediate appeals, the High Court has unlimited original jurisdiction, and Magistrates' Courts handle lower-level criminal and civil matters. Other courts and tribunals may exist under specific laws. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal sit in Suva. High Court services are available in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa, while Magistrates' Courts operate across Fiji. Court access runs through the relevant registry and court procedures. Fees depend on the case, and appeal or filing deadlines depend on the applicable court rules. Fiji is divided into the Central, Eastern, Northern and Western Divisions, which mainly support state coordination rather than functioning as separate legislative governments. The country also has 14 provinces. Rotuma has the status of a dependency. City and town councils form the municipal layer under the Local Government Act 1972, with responsibilities connected to local government and town and country planning. The Ministry of Local Government and the Department of Local Government and Town and Country Planning support this system. The iTaukei governance system provides a parallel formal and customary channel for Indigenous Fijian communities. It includes the Great Council of Chiefs, also called Bose Levu Vakaturaga, the iTaukei Affairs Board, Provincial Councils, Tikina Councils and Village Councils. Its customary levels include province, tikina, vanua, village and yavusa. The iTaukei Affairs Board serves all 14 provinces. These institutions can have strong local relevance, but they do not replace the national Government, municipal authorities or courts. Public administration operates through ministries, departments and statutory bodies. Permanent Secretaries manage senior departmental administration. The Public Service Commission appoints and promotes senior civil servants, handles discipline and provides a final appeal function for relevant personnel matters. Access, charges and processing times depend on the agency and the service requested; Fiji has no single procedure, fee or deadline for every public service. The Ministry of Finance prepares the annual National Budget. The process includes consultations, Cabinet and Government consideration, and approval by Parliament. Fiji's financial year runs from 1 August to 31 July. The Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy, prepared under the Financial Management Act, links annual decisions to longer-term fiscal planning. The National Development Plan 2025–2029 and Vision 2050 provide broader planning frameworks. In the 2025–2026 budget, projected revenue was FJD 3,947.4 million, expenditure was FJD 4,833.5 million and the net deficit was FJD 886.0 million. Projected debt was FJD 11,700.6 million, or 79.8% of GDP. These figures belong to that budget period and should not be treated as permanent values. Several bodies oversee public power and public money. The Auditor-General independently audits public accounts, money and property and reports at least annually to Parliament. The Public Accounts Committee examines accounts and Auditor-General reports. The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, known as FICAC, receives complaints and conducts investigation, prevention, education and prosecution functions under the FICAC Act 2007 and later amendments. The Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, or FHRADC, handles human-rights and discrimination complaints, investigation, conciliation, court redress and recommendations to the Government. Parliamentary committees examine departments, subordinate legislation, treaties and petitions, while the Public Service Commission oversees relevant personnel matters. The current scope does not establish a general Ombudsman equivalent for Fiji. The Constitution and the Information Act 2018 provide routes into the public sphere. Any person may request information from public agencies, including ministries, commissions, disciplined forces, courts, statutory authorities and Government companies. Access and correction rights remain subject to exemptions and procedural rules, and prescribed charges may apply. Parliament and its committees are generally open to the public and media, and public consultations may take place on Bills and the Budget. English, iTaukei and Fiji Hindi have institutional relevance in public communication. National security is coordinated through the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and the National Security Council, which is the principal decision-making body for national security and foreign policy. A Senior Officials Committee and a dedicated secretariat support this work. The Republic of Fiji Military Forces handle defence and may support internal security, peacekeeping and disaster response. The Fiji Police Force protects life and property, preserves peace, prevents and detects offences, apprehends offenders and enforces the law. The Fiji Corrections Service provides safe custody for people referred by courts and supports rehabilitation. Immigration, Customs, disaster-management bodies and the Financial Intelligence Unit perform related functions. Courts, Parliament, the FHRADC and FICAC provide legal or institutional oversight of these powers. People interact with the State through Parliament, ministries, municipal councils, iTaukei councils, courts, commissions, the Police and the Fiji Corrections Service. General duties include obeying the law, paying applicable taxes or public charges and cooperating with lawful authorities. Costs and timing depend on the institution and service, while the national budget follows the fixed financial year. No universal State fee or deadline applies to every form of public access.