The incidence of poverty and the poverty gap in Fiji: unpalatable facts for ethno-centric political parties

Abstract

Fiji's major political parties have frequently used a message that 'their' ethnic group is the 'most poor' and therefore their political party will, if in power, primarily foster their interests. The most recent data indicate that while the incidence of poverty is higher among Indo-Fijians than indigenous Fijians, the poverty gap is larger for indigenous Fijians. Unable to reconcile these two objective facts about poverty, the major political parties have shown little interest in publicly disseminating and discussing the results of studies of poverty.