Let’s dive into the impacts of public-private partnerships in Fiji’s health system with researcher and activist Lice Cokanasiga, author of the case study that inspired the film “Luxury Destination”.

Lice Cokanasiga has been a researcher and campaign assistant with the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG). Her work has revolved around monitoring, tracking and critiquing the blue economy agenda in the region and its impact on indigenous peoples’ environment in the Pacific Islands.

In this thought-provoking interview conducted by feminist economist Corina Rodríguez Enríquez and international development expert Sue Godt, Lice talks about how Fiji has been portrayed as a leader among the Pacific Island countries, with growing economic capacity and influence beyond its borders, supposedly because it has been restructuring its public system and embraced the neoliberal prescriptions for development.

Theoretically, the aim is to alleviate poverty and promote economic growth in the Pacific region. But what Lice shows clearly is how financially powerful actors can effectively influence and steer the direction of policymaking, culminating in initiatives such as the health PPP for Ba and Lautoka hospitals.

Her research denounces the lack of transparency in this process and examines the impacts of the new investment model adopted to fund the two hospitals. “We need to support those public systems that are working right now, instead of jumping into something that will just cost the country more money, which really should be used to improve the public health systems that we already have that’s working”, says the activist.
What impact are these PPPs having on the foundational health system that has successfully integrated community health care, primary health care, and health promotion?

Join us in this discussion, a part of DAWN’s multimedia project “Old Dog, New Tricks: Neocolonialism & Public-Private Partnerships in the Global South”, which highlights the effects of PPPs on women’s lives.