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Simi Racolo - Public Commentary"., 15 Al Aqarib Street/Al Maqam/Shabiyat Al Maqam, Al Ain (2026)

13/05/2026

NiInternational Nurses Day,12th May, 2026:

A Celebration of Fiji's Healing Hearts

People, today, we pause to honor the extraordinary nurses of Fiji and across the world—those remarkable individuals who have chosen a calling that demands everything and asks for so little in return.

Being a nurse changes you.
It transforms you into someone who can remain calm when chaos erupts around you, who can find humor in exhaustion, and who carries others through their darkest moments while silently battling your own.

Every dark joke, every energy drink at 3 AM, every "I'm fine" uttered after a grueling shift—these are the quiet badges of a profession that requires a heart bigger than most people will ever understand.
We see you.
We celebrate you.

Caring is the essence of nursing. Your job is not simply to treat symptoms or follow protocols—it is to cushion sorrow and celebrate joy, every single day, while making it look effortless.
You are "just doing your jobs," yet in those jobs, you have become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking your rightful place beside the physician and the priest.
History will remember you not for the accolades, but for the lives you've touched and the hope you've restored.

To every nurse gathered at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital and beyond, to those in Fiji's hospitals and clinics, and to Fijian nurses serving communities across the globe: this day belongs to you.
Dr Luke Nasedra's powerful message rings true—you play an irreplaceable role in our nation's health and soul.
This is your calling.
You were born to serve people through life's greatest challenges, and you do so with grace, resilience, and unwavering compassion.

To every single one of you still showing up—still caring, still fighting, still healing—we are profoundly proud. Thank you for being the backbone of our healthcare system and the heart of our communities.

Disclaimer: I do not own the photos displayed, I'm sorry for not seeking permission to use them.

03/05/2026

People, I acknowledge the observations shared by the Honorable Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the choices being made by some Fijians working in the United Arab Emirates.

While it is true that some diaspora members have chosen to remain in the region due to concerns about losing employment opportunities, it is important to note that this perspective does not represent the views or circumstances of the entire Fijian diaspora community in the Middle East.

The Fijian diaspora in the Gulf region is diverse, with individuals and families making personal decisions based on a wide range of factors including family circumstances, contractual obligations, long-term career plans, and individual assessments of the current situation.

Many Fijians continue to maintain close ties with Fiji and remain engaged with their families and communities back home.

I also wish to highlight that despite the Level 4 travel advisory in place since April 16, no Fijian citizen has requested evacuation from the region.
This demonstrates the trust our citizens have in the ongoing diplomatic efforts and the reassurances provided by both the UAE and Israeli governments regarding their safety and wellbeing.

They continue to support all Fijians abroad and remain committed to ensuring their welfare through their diplomatic channels, while respecting their individual choices and circumstances.

01/05/2026

The Unstoppable Force Behind Fiji's Healthcare Revolution

People, in the heart of Suva, where the Pacific breeze carries whispers of both hope and frustration, one woman has become impossible to ignore.
Her name is Judy Compain—and depending on whom you ask, she's either the conscience of Fiji's healthcare system or its most inconvenient truth.

They call her "Fiji's Mother Teresa," a title she never sought but cannot escape. Yet spend five minutes with her, and you'll quickly realize she's no passive humanitarian content with quiet charity.
Behind her warm smile lies a tenacity that has made government officials squirm and donors open their wallets in record numbers.

As President of the International Women's Association (IWA) Fiji—
a registered charity dedicated to uplifting underprivileged women and children through health and education initiatives—Compain has transformed what was once a modest organization into a fundraising powerhouse.

Under her leadership, IWA Fiji recently shattered expectations, raising an astonishing $355,000 at their annual Charity Ball.
That money didn't disappear into bureaucratic black holes.
It purchased echo machines, rebuilt hospital infrastructure, and funded programs that directly touched lives.

But it's her unflinching criticism of the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital that has truly captured public attention—and ignited controversy. While others looked away, Compain documented what she saw: raw sewage leaking into operating theatres, mould creeping across maternity ward bathrooms, lifts in the Children's Ward sitting broken for months.
She didn't whisper her concerns in private meetings.
She shouted them from rooftops.

Her confrontations with government officials have become the stuff of local legend.
In late April 2026, she publicly challenged Information Minister Hon Lynda Tabuya's characterization of critical hospital reporting as "malinformation."
Her response was characteristically direct: "Come see for yourself. Walk the wards. Then tell me what's true."

Beyond the headlines and hospital corridors, Compain grounds herself in simpler pursuits.
She's the founder of The Farmer's Daughter, a beloved Suva café where locals gather for strong coffee and fresher conversation. It's a reminder that beneath the activist armor exists a woman who simply loves her community.

Her visibility and relentless "get things done" mentality have sparked speculation across social media: Could Judy Compain be eyeing political office?
The rumours persist, yet she remains firmly planted in civil society—a leader who achieves results not through votes, but through sheer will.

One thing is certain: in Fiji's evolving story, Judy Compain has ensured her chapter will be anything but forgettable.

28/04/2026

PEOPLE, THE LAW HAS SPOKEN — AND IT IS THE MINISTER FOR LANDS HIMSELF WHO HAS LAID IT BARE.

(This is a long read...)

When Honorable Filimoni Vosarogo appeared publicly and stated that discussion around the Vuda incinerator project is “well far ahead of where the project really is,” he did more than make a passing remark — he exposed, in clear and undeniable terms, the structural and legal failures surrounding the entire proposal by TNG Fiji.
This is not speculation.
This is not activism. This is the Government’s own Minister confirming that the project, as it stands, is fundamentally flawed.

A PROJECT BUILT ON BREACHES — NOT COMPLIANCE
The facts are damning.
At the very foundation, the Environmental Impact Assessment process — governed by the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2007 — was never supposed to begin under the circumstances now confirmed.

First, the lease itself is in breach. The land, held under Crown Lease No. 16531, is a Special Tourism Lease — and that obligation has not been met.
No hotel.
No tourism development.
Instead, years of non-compliance. The Ministry of Lands issued a formal breach notice in February 2026, yet the EIA Terms of Reference were issued months earlier.
That alone should have stopped the process entirely.

Second, there is no valid consent from the landowner — the State. Under the law, the Director of Lands must approve any transfer or development rights.
That consent was not given.
In fact, the situation escalated to the point where repossession of the land was being considered.
This means the very party pushing the project does not legally control the land.

Third, the people — the very community who will bear the environmental and health consequences — were shut out. The requirements under the Environment Management Act 2005 for consultation were ignored in both spirit and practice.
No proper engagement.
No meaningful participation. Instead, a tokenistic and unrealistic review period of over 1,500 pages, at cost, without translation, and during a natural disaster period.
That is not consultation.
That is obstruction.

THE CORE TRUTH: TNG IS NOT A LEGAL PROPONENT
Under the law, a “proponent” must be the owner or the party in control of the land.
TNG Fiji is neither.
The lease transfer was blocked. The existing leaseholder is in breach.
So the obvious question arises:
On what legal basis was this EIA even entertained?
There is no grey area here.
If the proponent has no legal standing, the process collapses.

A PROJECT THAT CANNOT LEGALLY EXIST IN ITS CURRENT FORM
The contradictions deepen further.
The land is zoned strictly for tourism under the Town and Country Planning Act.
An incinerator is an industrial activity.
Rezoning is not optional — it is mandatory. Yet no application has been approved, and according to local authorities, none has even been properly lodged.
Even more critically, the existing lease breach requires a tourism development to remedy it.
An incinerator does the exact opposite.
It does not fix the breach — it locks the breach in permanently.
This is not just non-compliance. This is a proposal that directly contradicts the legal obligations tied to the land itself.

THREE INDEPENDENT GATES — NONE PASSED
Minister Vosarogo made it crystal clear:
Three separate legal and regulatory processes must be satisfied — Lands, Environment, and Planning.
Not one has been cleared.
Not one.
And yet the narrative pushed to the public has been one of progress, inevitability, and advancement.

SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR LEADERSHIP
This is where the issue moves beyond technical breaches and into governance.
✓ How did the EIA process proceed in the face of such fundamental legal deficiencies?
✓ Why were these breaches not addressed before moving forward?
✓ And most importantly — who advised that this was acceptable?
There is a growing and unavoidable concern that key warnings and legal realities may have been overlooked — or worse, disregarded — at higher levels, including by Honorable Lynda Tabuya and those advising the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.
When the Minister for Lands himself is outlining unresolved breaches across multiple laws, it raises a deeply troubling possibility:
Was the government misled, or did it choose to look the other way?

THE ONLY LOGICAL CONCLUSION
Based on the evidence now confirmed by the Minister for Lands:
• The lease is in breach.
• The proponent lacks legal standing.
• Landowner consent is absent.
• Public consultation requirements were not met.
• Rezoning has not occurred.
• Independent approvals remain outstanding.
Under these conditions, the EIA process should never have commenced.

FINAL WORD
The position is now undeniable.
This project cannot — and must not — proceed unless and until every single legal requirement is properly satisfied.
Not partially.
Not politically.
But fully, lawfully, and transparently.
Until then, the Vuda incinerator proposal remains exactly what the Minister for Lands has exposed it to be:
A project pushed forward in defiance of its own legal foundations.

27/04/2026

People, what we are being told and what is actually happening are two very different things — and the people of Fiji are not blind to it.

The statements by Hon. Lynda Tabuya and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka are carefully worded, but when you read between the lines, the direction is already clear: this incinerator project in Vuda is being pushed forward, regardless of public opposition, landowner concerns, and the long-term environmental risks.

We are told there is “no predetermined outcome,” yet at the same time we see high-level meetings with investors, continued technical progression of the EIA, and a complete dismissal of the overwhelming public backlash — thousands of objections, petitions, and submissions.
If this is not a project being quietly ushered through, then what is?

Let’s be honest — the EIA process is being presented as a safeguard, but in reality it is starting to look like a formality, a box-ticking exercise to legitimise a decision that has already been made.
When a project of this scale continues to advance despite such strong and unified opposition, it raises serious questions about whose interests are truly being served.

PM Rabuka’s own remarks only reinforce this concern.
Instead of firmly rejecting a proposal that threatens Fiji’s environment and cultural heritage, he appears to be conditioning the people of Vuda to accept it.
That is not leadership — that is preparation for imposition.

And the biggest question remains unanswered: why is Fiji even entertaining the idea of importing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of foreign waste?
Why are we positioning ourselves to become a dumping ground for other countries?
If this project is not acceptable in places like Australia, what makes our land, our people, and our future any less worthy of protection?

The reality is uncomfortable but needs to be said — it increasingly appears that this project is being driven by external financial interests, with the government aligning itself accordingly, while the voices of ordinary Fijians and traditional landowners are being sidelined.

Vuda is not just another piece of land. It is a place of deep cultural, historical, and environmental significance.
Turning it into an industrial waste hub is not development — it is a betrayal.
The people have spoken loudly and clearly.
Ignoring that voice while hiding behind process and procedure does not make this democratic — it makes it deceptive.

Fiji is not for sale.
And it must never become the Pacific’s dumping ground.

25/04/2026

People my 5 Cent's piece.....
What is being rolled out here is not reform — it’s a rushed, top-down decision that risks doing more harm than good.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has chosen to impose 12-hour shifts on nurses without meaningful consultation, without transparency, and without exploring safer, evidence-based alternatives.
At a time when the nursing workforce is already stretched thin, this approach feels less like leadership and more like coercion.

Let’s be clear: extending shift hours does not solve a staffing shortage. It simply shifts the burden onto the very people who are already holding the system together.
Research has consistently shown that fatigue increases significantly after 8–9 hours of work, and with it comes a higher risk of clinical errors, including medication mistakes.
This is not speculation — it is well-documented evidence.
When patient safety is put at risk, no policy can be justified as “continuity of care.”

What’s even more concerning is the complete lack of preparation and transparency around this rollout.
• Were working conditions reviewed?
• Were provisions for rest breaks, meal support, leave entitlements, and safe rostering strengthened before this decision?
• Were nurses consulted in good faith, or was this deliberately withheld — even during a recent AGM attended by senior leadership?
Imposing longer shifts without addressing these fundamentals is not reform — it is neglect.

There are also real, predictable consequences:
✓ Increased sick leave and burnout
✓ Higher staff turnover and resignation rates
✓ Declining morale and productivity
✓ A growing divide between management and frontline staff
✓ Greater reliance on overtime, which is already inconsistently managed
This becomes a revolving door — nurses leave faster than they can be replaced, and the system becomes even more unstable.

Good leadership does not respond to crisis by placing heavier burdens on already exhausted workers.
It listens, consults, and builds solutions that retain staff — not drive them away.
What we are seeing instead is a short-term “band-aid” being presented as innovation.
But there is nothing innovative about ignoring evidence, sidelining professional voices, and pushing through a policy that risks both staff wellbeing and patient safety.

The nurses of Fiji deserve better than this.
They deserve to be heard, respected, and supported — not overworked and overlooked.
If this decision is not reconsidered, it will not fix the crisis.
It will deepen it.

18/04/2026

People, I fully support what’s been said in that article by Jay Kay—and honestly, it confirms exactly what many of us have been thinking.

I was looking at the FNA AGM photos, like I always do, and one thing stood out straight away.
A senior nurse leader presenting a tabua to the Assistant Minister of Health.
That moment said everything.

Then this article comes out—and now we’re told it was a matanigasau.
An apology.
But let me ask this straight—who exactly should be apologising here?
Because it certainly shouldn’t be the nurses.

This is where the FNA leadership has completely lost its direction. Instead of standing up for nurses, they are bowing down to the very people responsible for their struggles.
That’s not leadership—that’s submission.

The truth is simple: it’s the Government—the Minister, the Assistant Minister—who should be presenting a matanigasau to every nurse in Fiji.
For years of unpaid overtime.
For poor and unsafe working conditions.
For the ongoing lack of proper medical supplies.
For ignoring the reality nurses face every single day.

Let’s stop pretending.
Nurses didn’t “start” anything.
They reacted to years of neglect and silence from those in power. And now when they speak up, they’re expected to apologise?
That’s not accountability—that’s control.

An association like the FNA is supposed to be independent.
Its role is to challenge power, not protect it.
To hold government accountable—not to perform gestures that make it look like everything is fine when it clearly isn’t.

Right now, they are doing the opposite. They are normalising failure and rewarding it with respect it hasn’t earned.
Nurses speaking out is not disrespect—it’s survival.
It’s about putting food on the table. Paying rent.
Keeping their families afloat.

And let’s be very clear—
TOIL is not a solution.
TOIL does not pay bills.
TOIL does not feed children.
It’s a weak substitute being used to avoid real responsibility.

So again—why are they apologising today, when tomorrow the same issues will still be there?
Or is this what they have come to—silencing themselves to keep those in power comfortable?

If anyone should feel the weight of a matanigasau, it’s the Government.
Not the nurses.

People as usual this is my 5 Cent's view—and I know it won’t sit well with some.
But if you’re a nurse leader sitting comfortably, earning well, and unaffected by these issues—maybe it’s time you looked beyond your own situation.

Because the rest are carrying a burden that shouldn’t be theirs to begin with.
And sooner or later, the truth always forces its way out.

11/04/2026

People, what is deeply troubling in all of this is not just who Jason Zhong is — because that is already on record — but the clear discrepancy and the way this has been handled, which points to something far more concerning:
a deliberate attempt to downplay, deflect, and possibly cover up a serious conflict of interest at the highest level of leadership over iTaukei affairs.

We are not talking about rumours or hearsay. We are talking about a sitting Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Ifereimi Vasu, who continues to hold one of the most sensitive roles in the country — as Chair of the iTaukei Land Trust Board — while maintaining a business partnership with a man who has a well-documented criminal past and is now before the courts again on allegations directly linked to that very institution.

That alone should have triggered immediate action.
Instead, what we have seen is silence, deflection, and now the removal of the very person who had the courage to speak up — former Permanent Secretary Navakamocea.

Let’s be clear: when a senior civil servant raises a concern — especially one that touches on integrity, leadership, and the protection of iTaukei land — the response of any responsible government should be to investigate the issue, not eliminate the messenger.
His sacking does not sit right.
In fact, it raises even more questions.
• Why was he removed instead of being heard?
• Why was there no transparent, independent investigation?
• Why is the Minister still comfortably holding his position despite such serious concerns?

This is where the inconsistency becomes impossible to ignore.
On one hand, we hear strong messaging about protecting the vanua, safeguarding our people, and upholding moral leadership. On the other hand, we see a situation where a Minister’s close business ties to a controversial figure are brushed aside as “nothing illegal,” even while that same individual faces allegations involving the very institution the Minister oversees.
That is not leadership. That is contradiction.

And when those within the system — like Navakamocea — try to highlight this contradiction, they are pushed out.
That sends a dangerous message across the entire public service: stay quiet, or face the consequences.
That is not transparency.
That is suppression.

The iTaukei people deserve better than this. Our land is not just an asset — it is identity, inheritance, and future.
Any hint of compromise, conflict of interest, or undue influence over it must be treated with the highest level of seriousness, not brushed aside with convenient statements.

If this government truly stands for accountability, then it must act like it — not when pressured, not when exposed, but because it is the right thing to do.
Right now, what we are seeing does not inspire confidence.
It raises concern.
Because when leadership protects itself instead of addressing legitimate questions, people will naturally begin to ask:
•What is really being hidden?.

04/04/2026

People, my 5 Cent's piece....
There’s a point raised by Honorable Manoa Kamikamica that really needs to be heard properly by all of us, because it speaks not just to identity, but to the future of Fiji as one people.

Like him, many of us grew up in a time where being called “Fijian” was closely tied to being iTaukei.
That thinking didn’t come from nowhere — it was shaped by history, by insecurity, by economic differences, and yes, by the divisions that were reinforced over the years. But times have changed, and so must our understanding.

The reality today is simple: Indo-Fijians and all other communities in Fiji are not outsiders.
Their ancestors may have come under difficult and painful circumstances, but generations later, Fiji is the only home they know.
They have contributed to this country in every way possible — in government, in sports, in business, in our communities, and in our everyday lives.
They have stood under the same flag, sung the same anthem, and shared in both the struggles and successes of this nation.

So to now entertain the idea — as being pushed in recommendations from the Great Council of Chiefs — that only iTaukei should be called “Fijians” is not just unnecessary, it is dangerous.
It does not strengthen iTaukei identity. It does not protect our culture.
What it does is reopen old wounds, create lines where we have been trying to erase them, and take us backwards as a nation.

Calling everyone born and belonging to Fiji “Fijian” does not take anything away from us as iTaukei. Our identity, our language, our vanua, our traditions — these are strong and deeply rooted.
They do not become weaker just because we choose to stand equally with others.
In fact, it shows strength.
It shows confidence in who we are.

What weakens a country is division. What holds us back is this constant need to separate ourselves instead of building together.
We should be moving forward as one Fiji — where iTaukei, Indo-Fijians, and every other community are recognised as equal citizens of this land.
Not divided by labels, but united by a shared future.
At the end of the day, this is our home — all of ours.

And if we are serious about progress, unity, and stability, then we must reject anything that tries to divide us again.
We are all Fijians.🤔🇫🇯

02/04/2026

People, let’s be honest here—this situation didn’t just fall out of the sky. It was created by poor judgment and a failure to follow proper process.

Before the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the Minister of Finance went out publicly assuring the people of Fiji that there would be no fuel price increases until May, they should have first done the responsible thing: consult the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.

That’s exactly what the FCCC is there for.
This is not just another government department.
The FCCC is the independent body tasked with monitoring fuel pricing, working closely with fuel companies, and tracking global oil price movements.
They understand the realities of the international fuel market—something that is clearly driven by forces far beyond Fiji’s control.

Right now, the whole world is feeling the pressure.
Ongoing tensions and instability in the Middle East have pushed fuel prices up globally. No country has been spared. So for our leaders to make bold public promises without aligning themselves with the very institution that deals with these global indices daily—that’s not just careless, it’s irresponsible.

If proper consultation had taken place with the FCCC and before even following the advice of the Fuel Advisory Committee that government itself put together, they would have been told the truth from the start: fuel price increases were inevitable.
And that’s where the real problem lies.

Instead of being upfront with the people, the government chose to make comforting promises.
Now that reality has caught up, they are trying to shift the blame onto the FCCC by saying it acted independently.
But you can’t have it both ways—you can’t ignore expert advice, make political statements, and then act surprised when the facts prove you wrong.
This is exactly why people are now saying “liar, liar.”
Because it didn’t have to be this way.

If there had been proper coordination, honesty, and respect for the institutions in place, the government could have prepared the public early, explained the global situation, and rolled out mitigation measures ahead of time—not after the damage is done.

And then, on top of all this, you have opportunistic opposition MPs like Jone Usamate and Premila Kumar trying to milk the situation for political mileage.
Let’s be clear—this is not the time for political point-scoring from either side.

Yes, the government must be held accountable for speaking prematurely and failing to consult properly.
But the opposition jumping on this purely for attention, instead of offering constructive solutions, only adds noise to an already frustrated public.

At the end of the day, the Fijian people deserve better—from both sides.
We deserve leadership that is honest, well-informed, and coordinated.
Not promises made without consultation, and not politicians who only show up when there’s an opportunity to score cheap political points.

This whole episode should be a lesson: respect the institutions, tell the truth early, and put the people first.

02/04/2026

People, I say again what is being proposed with this so-called waste-to-energy incinerator is not just another development project — it is a dangerous, long-term decision that could harm Fiji for generations.

Let’s be very clear: this deal does not pass the national interest test.
We are being told this is about solving waste and energy issues, but the truth is the numbers don’t even make sense.
The plant needs around 900,000 tonnes of waste every year, yet Fiji only produces about 200,000 tonnes.
So what does that mean? It means we will have to import waste from overseas just to keep this thing running.
Are we seriously prepared to turn Fiji into a dumping ground for foreign waste?
That alone should be enough for every Fijian to say NO.

But it gets worse.
Bringing in foreign waste is not just an environmental issue — it is a biosecurity risk, a health risk, and a national security risk.
At a time when our borders are already under pressure, how can anyone justify opening the door to container loads of unknown waste entering our country?

And where is the transparency in all of this?
The people of Vuda have already spoken.
Landowners and communities are raising serious concerns about environmental damage, cultural impact, and lack of proper consultation.
Yet it feels like their voices are being ignored. No project of this scale should ever go ahead without genuine consent of the people.

Let’s also not pretend this is a clean solution.
Incinerators produce toxic ash and harmful emissions.
For a small island nation like Fiji, one mistake, one failure in regulation, and the damage could be irreversible.
Then there is the economic trap.

This project will likely lock Fiji into a 30 to 40-year agreement for expensive power.
That means higher electricity costs for ordinary families and businesses — not just now, but for decades to come.
While the rest of the world is moving towards cheaper, cleaner solar and battery solutions, we are being pushed into one of the most expensive and outdated systems.

Fiji is blessed with abundant sunshine. We already have better options that are cleaner, safer, and more affordable.
So why are we even considering this?

This is why I am calling on the Government — from the Prime Minister, to Lynda Tabuya, Sakeasi Ditoka, and the entire Cabinet — come clean to the people of Fiji.
• Where exactly are you with this deal?
• What agreements have already been made?
• What are you not telling us?
The silence and lack of transparency are deeply concerning.

Fijians deserve honesty.
We deserve accountability.
And we deserve to be fully informed before being locked into a decision that could define our future.
This is not just about waste.

This is about protecting our land, our health, our sovereignty, and our future generations.
I stand firmly opposed to this incinerator project — and I urge every Fijian to do the same.
Say NO to this high-risk waste-to-energy deal. ❌☢️.

Simi Racolo - Public Commentary".

13/05/2026

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28/04/2026

27/04/2026

25/04/2026

18/04/2026

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