Minister for Justice Hon. Siromi Turaga Delivers Ministerial Statement at the 9th Session of the Committee on Statistics High-Level Segment
December 12, 2024
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The Minister for Justice – Hon Siromi Turaga, and Permanent Secretary for Justice, Ms. Selina Kuruleca, are currently in Bangkok, Thailand, attending the Asia-Pacific Statistics Week, held from 9th – 13th December.
They joined the conference on Wednesday 11 December, which focused on the 9th Session of the Committee on Statistics High-Level Segment. Hon. Siromi Turaga was one of the speakers during Agenda Item 2 on “Harnessing the Power of Data to Leave No One Behind.” He was part of a high-level panel on a whole-of-government approach to building agile statistical systems.
As a panel speaker, the Minister for Justice responded to two questions directed at him regarding why progress in strengthening statistical systems has been slower than hoped and what steps Fiji has taken to protect citizen data while still enabling effective data sharing across government departments.
In his speech, Hon. Siromi Turaga addressed the challenges that have slowed progress in strengthening Fiji’s statistical systems. Outdated laws, such as the Statistics Act of 1961 and the Births, Deaths, and Marriage Registration Act of 1975 and poor inter-agency coordination has created inefficiencies; however, steps are being taken to enhance collaboration and streamline data processes.
“Within the processes, steps are now being undertaken for modernization of our legislation to meet current and anticipated needs and align with international standards. Following political transitions in 2022, the government has renewed its focus on improving civil registration and vital statistics.”
The Honourable Minister outlined measures to protect citizen data while enabling effective data sharing. Fiji is updating its legal frameworks to align with international standards, including the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, and is exploring data privacy legislation. A draft National Cybersecurity Strategy establishes secure data-sharing protocols, while the National ID program centralizes data under strict controls. The Data Exchange Platform ensures secure and accurate data sharing across government, and the establishment of a National CERT in partnership with Australia enhances cybersecurity resilience.
The Honourable Siromi Turaga reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to improving statistical systems and data governance by balancing privacy and accessibility through ongoing reforms and collaboration.
