The leader of the opposition National Federation Party in Fiji, Biman Prasad, has called out Australia and New Zealand for what he describes as a 'deafening silence" on the declining standards of democracy, governance, human rights, media freedom and freedom of speech issues in some Pacific countries.
Mr Prasad's comments come after the conclusion of the Pacific Islands Forum leader's meeting which failed to address some glaring regional issues such as the Fiji government holding the University of the South Pacific to ransom over a spat with the vice chancellor of the regionally owned institution, questionable governance practices and a lack of accountability in Solomon Islands and the ongoing conflict and human rights concerns in West Papua, to name a few.
Photo: AFP
RNZ Pacific has reached out to both the governments' of Australia and New Zealand for comment before airing this interview on Mr Prasad's views which were first published in the Australian National University's Devpolicy Blog and at the time this program was laid down only the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had replied saying it has 'no comment to make on Mr Prasad's blog'.
