People’s Alliance Leader Sitiveni Rabuka has described the 2022–2023 National Budget as a patch-up job.

Rabuka stated that the budget has been used as a document to appeal to voters as Fijians prepare for the upcoming General Elections.

In a statement released this afternoon, Rabuka labeled the budget as an election budget and he also asserts that the budget contained freebies.

The former Prime Minister says the freebies would indicate to struggling families that Father Christmas has turned up early.

Rabuka highlighted that while Fiji’s economic status is unstable, the government has decided to go loose on a spending spree for the next six months.

In addition, Rabuka claims that Fiji is in trouble because this government has failed to address the need to diversify the economy and maintain financial discipline to ensure we have fiscal space for a rainy day.

Rabuka stated that his party and the National Federation Party will call for a full audit of the government’s financial situation if it wins the next elections.

Once the true picture of our economy is determined, he stated that the two parties will then announce their first 100-day plan, with the people’s bread and butter issues expected to feature prominently in it.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the government has never stroke for short-term gains or treated elections as a yardstick for making economic policy announcements.

Sayed-Khaiyum said the government prioritizes the economy and the long-term livelihoods of Fijians.

He highlighted this on Friday when he delivered the budget in Parliament.

The Economy Minister says many in and outside of Parliament will not admit any of this because they oppose the similar strategy that delivered it.