Budget 2022-23

FLP express dismay with budget

July 17, 2022 12:35 pm

[File Photo]

The Fiji Labour Party has expressed dismay towards the 2022/2023 National Budget.

FLP Leader Mahendra Chaudhry claims that Agriculture has been totally ignored.

He says there has been a lot of rhetoric from the government about boosting agricultural production however, this is not reflected in the budget.

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He says the budget does not provide any measures to cushion the high cost of farm inputs for farmers.

The government allocated $7 million towards the agriculture sector in the current budget.

Chaudhry also highlighted that the budget makes no provision to replenish the accounts of Fiji National Provident Fund members who borrowed funds from their pension accounts to survive the pandemic.

He also claims the $60 million Inflation Mitigation package carries no measures to deal with the escalating cost of living generally.

He says it is only a temporary measure as it will only last six months.

Meanwhile, Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has said the government will review this assistance in December.

Fijian families who earn $50,000 or less and have children from new born to year-13 will be able to access this package once the budget is passed by parliament.