Mosese Raqio 
Prasad says the budget is responsible and introduces no new taxes. [Photo: FILE]
Former Deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad has defended the 2026-2027 National Budget, saying it maintains key support for Fijians despite global economic pressure.
Prasad says the budget is responsible and introduces no new taxes. He says it continues the Coalition Government’s fiscal approach over the past three years.
He says funding remains for social welfare, agriculture, health, education and small and medium enterprises. More than 200,000 students will continue to receive back-to-school assistance.
Prasad also says the scholarship programme introduced after the TELS debt write-off is still in place and it expands access to higher education.
He says the projected seven percent fiscal deficit is driven mainly by lower revenue linked to the global fuel crisis, not higher spending.
The government, he adds has maintained services without cutting benefits or reducing civil service salaries. He says investment continues in hospitals, roads, bridges, water systems and flood mitigation projects.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel state the government has built a strong foundation over the past three and a half years. He says the budget builds on that progress and supports a more resilient and inclusive Fiji.
