Praneeta Prakash 
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]
The government has updated its Proxy Means Test to ensure welfare assistance reaches those who need it most.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran states the previous PMT relied on 2008 and 2009 data and no longer reflects current economic conditions.
She adds that the model has now been revised using more recent data from 2019 and 2020.
“While PMT-based approaches worldwide face some inherent challenges, Fiji’s updated model now performs at a level consistent with international experience.”
Kiran explained that the updated PMT uses fewer and more relevant indicators and is expected to reduce targeting errors by up to 8 percent.
“The rural and maritime areas are very well covered at the moment. We have officers who already assess. We process the older persons, the disability and the child protection allowance across the country. Rural and maritime are not isolated in terms of our service provision.”
The Minister adds that the ministry plans to review the PMT every five years to keep it aligned with changing household needs.
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