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Dialogue Fiji has described the latest budget as a brave and bold one.

In a statement, the organization says the budget is laudable, not least because it was developed in extremely challenging and uncertain times.

Executive Director, Nilesh Lal says the $200m unemployment benefit and the additional $200m soft loan facility for businesses will boost spending immediately and this is needed in the short term.

Lal says they noted that the government’s ability to implement a $3.69 billion budget depends on its capacity to raise revenue at appropriate levels.

He claims the Ministry of Economy’s projections on the assumption that herd immunity will be achieved once 80% vaccination coverage is achieved is a flawed assumption that is not informed by the prevailing scientific opinion on COVID herd immunity from first-generation vaccines.

Meanwhile, Lal says economic recovery is incumbent on Fiji’s ability to contain the current outbreak in the shortest possible time which is why it is extremely important for everyone to get vaccinated at the earliest and practice COVID-safe measures to contain the spread.

Dialogue Fiji has lauded the creative measures in the budget to increase vaccine uptake.

Lal says the budget has endeavoured to cater for the needs of various sectors of the economy adding that it is pleasing to note that the submissions of different stakeholders have been reflected in the budget allocations and or policies.