  When the Media Tsunami Hits the Government. But the Wave Is ‘Just a Minor Splash’So here’s the latest from the sunny shores of Fiji: the Viliame Gavoka government has blamed the media for “poor governance”. Yes, you read that right. While some of us were busy noting ministerial resignations, commissions of enquiry, illicit-drugs scandals, road-fatalities, tourism issues and the like, the government’s key takeaway is that the media are exaggerating. What was said by Deputy Prime Minister Gavoka
Why this is interesting (and a bit eyebrow-raising) Deflection at play When the ship starts creaking, resignations, inquiries, crime waves, the easiest tack is: “Look away from the holes in the hull. The plankton sighting is over-blown.” The media, in this reading, become the culprit rather than the cover-up. | Minister Gavoka Confronts Biggest Media Villain Yet. His Own Reflection For 'Over-Exaggerating' Fiji's Problems  CRYING WITH JOY: Stanley Simpson, Fijian Media Association boss, sheds TEARS on removal of |
Undermining scrutiny
If you tell the public that the press is exaggerating, you chip away at the independent scrutiny function of journalism. That might leave less light shining on governance lapses, and more opaque corners for mistakes or worse.
Economic & tourism angle
There’s a distinct flavour of “we must protect Fiji’s image for tourism” in Gavoka’s remarks. Acknowledging problems might deter visitors or investors. But brushing them aside doesn’t actually fix them, and may in fact harm the economy in the long run if the underlying issues are real.
The “minority” rebuttal
Sure: many social ills begin with minorities. But that doesn’t make them minor in impact. A drug trafficking network, law-enforcement involvement, youth crime - these ripple widely. And waters that start shallow can turn into tsunamis, metaphorically speaking.
The Media’s Role. Tsunami Warning vs. Calm Sea
Let’s picture this: the media sees dark clouds on the horizon, rising crime, prosecutions, resignations, and raises the alarm. The government says: “Relax; it’s just a wave, not a tsunami.”
But what if it is the beginnings of a tsunami? What if the lack of transparency, the deflection of blame, and the slowing of remedial action are the hidden under-currents? The media, after all, serve to warn, record, scrutinise. If you silence or belittle them, you remove that early-warning system.
In effect:
Economic Risks of Ignoring the Wave
From an economic perspective: Fiji relies heavily on image, tourism, foreign investment, confidence. If governance problems grow unchecked because they’re dismissed as “media hype”, you risk:
So the “media tsunami” might just be the warning. Ignoring it endangers the shores.
The Fiji media may exaggerate sometimes. Headlines sometimes shout. But when the government says everything is fine, and the press says there are serious problems, guess which side deserves a little extra scrutiny?
If you’re taking the government at face value, you’ll believe the sea is perfectly calm. But if you’re listening to the media too, you might spot the swell, the under-current, the glint of something breaking the surface.
In short, blaming the press is easier than doing the harder work of fixing the root causes. The question for Fiji is: which will happen first - a wave that can be handled or a tsunami that cannot?
If you tell the public that the press is exaggerating, you chip away at the independent scrutiny function of journalism. That might leave less light shining on governance lapses, and more opaque corners for mistakes or worse.
Economic & tourism angle
There’s a distinct flavour of “we must protect Fiji’s image for tourism” in Gavoka’s remarks. Acknowledging problems might deter visitors or investors. But brushing them aside doesn’t actually fix them, and may in fact harm the economy in the long run if the underlying issues are real.
The “minority” rebuttal
Sure: many social ills begin with minorities. But that doesn’t make them minor in impact. A drug trafficking network, law-enforcement involvement, youth crime - these ripple widely. And waters that start shallow can turn into tsunamis, metaphorically speaking.
The Media’s Role. Tsunami Warning vs. Calm Sea
Let’s picture this: the media sees dark clouds on the horizon, rising crime, prosecutions, resignations, and raises the alarm. The government says: “Relax; it’s just a wave, not a tsunami.”
But what if it is the beginnings of a tsunami? What if the lack of transparency, the deflection of blame, and the slowing of remedial action are the hidden under-currents? The media, after all, serve to warn, record, scrutinise. If you silence or belittle them, you remove that early-warning system.
In effect:
- The media warns the public.
- The government says: “Stop shouting; the sea is calm.”
- But meanwhile, under that calm surface, the water is rising.
Economic Risks of Ignoring the Wave
From an economic perspective: Fiji relies heavily on image, tourism, foreign investment, confidence. If governance problems grow unchecked because they’re dismissed as “media hype”, you risk:
- Investors asking: “Why is there so much resigning and enquiring and nothing being fixed?”
- Tourists saying: “Hmm, headline about drug smuggling in X resort area — maybe not this time.”
- Citizens saying: “Why are our taxes funding inquiries instead of solutions?”
So the “media tsunami” might just be the warning. Ignoring it endangers the shores.
The Fiji media may exaggerate sometimes. Headlines sometimes shout. But when the government says everything is fine, and the press says there are serious problems, guess which side deserves a little extra scrutiny?
If you’re taking the government at face value, you’ll believe the sea is perfectly calm. But if you’re listening to the media too, you might spot the swell, the under-current, the glint of something breaking the surface.
In short, blaming the press is easier than doing the harder work of fixing the root causes. The question for Fiji is: which will happen first - a wave that can be handled or a tsunami that cannot?
Government has shifted the blame on the media for Fiji’s poor governance.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka, has downplayed the ongoing issues in the country, saying it’s the media which had been “over exaggerating” issues.
His responses followed questions by this masthead about Fiji’s governance, which included commission of enquiries, resignations of his fellow DPMs and ministers in Biman Prasad and Manoa Kamikamica, national security, illicit drugs, road fatalities, social ills and criminal activities. References were also made to some tourists mulling drugs into Fiji and law enforcement officers charged for involvement in Fiji’s illicit drug trade.
Mr Gavoka said while Government worked hard to tell the world how beautiful Fiji was, media headlines had exaggerated issues.
“I just wish you (media) would change the story a bit because you know headlines of drugs, HIV and other issues like that. This (Fiji) is the most beautiful country in the whole world, visitors come here in rows and we are the ones giving Fiji the background,” Mr Gavoka said.
“It’s happening, but it’s not in a way that its prevalent in the community, it’s a minority thing.” Mr Gavoka said he hoped for a change in the media headlines as it moved ahead with its efforts in expanding the tourism Industry. Source: Fiji Sun, 2/11/2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka, has downplayed the ongoing issues in the country, saying it’s the media which had been “over exaggerating” issues.
His responses followed questions by this masthead about Fiji’s governance, which included commission of enquiries, resignations of his fellow DPMs and ministers in Biman Prasad and Manoa Kamikamica, national security, illicit drugs, road fatalities, social ills and criminal activities. References were also made to some tourists mulling drugs into Fiji and law enforcement officers charged for involvement in Fiji’s illicit drug trade.
Mr Gavoka said while Government worked hard to tell the world how beautiful Fiji was, media headlines had exaggerated issues.
“I just wish you (media) would change the story a bit because you know headlines of drugs, HIV and other issues like that. This (Fiji) is the most beautiful country in the whole world, visitors come here in rows and we are the ones giving Fiji the background,” Mr Gavoka said.
“It’s happening, but it’s not in a way that its prevalent in the community, it’s a minority thing.” Mr Gavoka said he hoped for a change in the media headlines as it moved ahead with its efforts in expanding the tourism Industry. Source: Fiji Sun, 2/11/2025
