Fiji still lacks a unified framework that clearly defines how personal data is collected, stored, processed, and safeguarded by both public institutions and private entities although elements of data governance exist within the Information Act 2018 and the Cybercrime Act 2021.
That is the comment of Speaker of Parliament, Filimone Jitoko to prosecutors attending the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Conference as he says one of the most pressing legislative priorities is the establishment of a comprehensive Data Protection and Privacy Law in our country.
Jitoko says such a law is essential not only for protecting individual rights but also for enabling secure and lawful digital commerce across borders.
He says while Fiji has enacted laws like the Cybercrime Act and Telecommunications Act, and continues to rely on the decades-old Police Act, there are still areas where our legal architecture falls short in addressing the full spectrum of modern criminal and transnational threats.
The Speaker says to empower the prosecutors, there must be a commitment to advancing critical legislative priorities, including a comprehensive Data Protection and Privacy Law to secure digital evidence and protect citizens; robust Whistleblower Protection Legislation to uncover the complex crimes that thrive in silence; the modernisation of our Evidence Act to fully embrace digital proof; and strengthening our asset recovery regime to make Unexplained Wealth Orders a powerful tool in the prosecutors' arsenal.
He adds in today’s hyper-connected world, justice must be swift, adaptive, and equipped to handle the complexities of digital crime.
Jitoko says the strength of Fiji’s criminal justice system will depend on the ODPP’s ability to navigate digital evidence and specialised legal frameworks, supported by a Parliament that legislates with urgency, clarity, and adequate resources.
