The substantial increase in salaries within the civil service may have been music to the ears of some workers within government, but it has not been favourably accepted by the major civil-servant unions.

There were mixed reactions toward the National Budget announcement by people in the Western Division.

The Coalition Government has reaffirmed its commitment to education by allocating $40 million for the Back to School Support initiative.

The Police reset strategy would broadly include the development of a new overarching strategy aimed to modernize the Force through right-sizing and stirring a shift in culture.

The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has been allocated a budget of $68.8 million.

The government in its budget announcement today has outlined reforms and plans to boost its revenue.

While new schemes have been introduced for students, Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad says to obtain an equitable return of investment in the bond service, students with overseas scholarship schemes will be bonded 2.5 times of the duration of the study.

The Coalition government has significantly increased funding for the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs in an effort to strengthen Fiji’s indigenous population.

The Coalition government highlighted the need for a well-resourced judiciary for a functioning democracy in a recent budget release by allocating a total of $131.3 million to independent bodies and commissions.

The Public Private Partnership involving the Government, Fiji National Provident Fund and Aspen Medical of Australia in terms of the Ba and Lautoka Hospital has created severe financial issues for the Government.

A budget of two-million dollars has been allocated for the establishing a Narcotics Bureau within the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad stresses that the government wants a tax and fiscal policy that provides certainty and confidence to the businesses and the private sector.