Opposition Member of Parliament Praveen Bala [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji]

Opposition Member of Parliament Praveen Bala has criticized the National Development Plan consultations that are being carried out.

Bala claimed that Fiji already has a short-term and long-term NDP that goes until 2030 and would serve Fiji equally.

He questioned the transparency about the costs of the new NDP, why it is required, and why there is a need to replace the existing plan.

The opposition member stated that the existing plan has provisions for reviews and restating of goals, and it would have saved both time and money to use it as a platform rather than embark on a completely new plan.

Bala highlighted the challenges of the spread of drugs and their impact across societies and on youth, which he says need immediate action.

He also says that for a small nation like Fiji, relying on migrant labor does not mean well and called on the government to address these issues quickly.

Bala also expressed concerns that some special administrators do not reside in the municipalities they are assigned to but outside the municipality, and he asked the line minister to reverse their appointment.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is expected to respond to this during his right of reply on tomorrow.