A deceptive and painful budget created by a very confused government – Bulitavu

FijiFirst MP, Mosese Bulitavu has called the 2023/2024 National budget as a deceptive and painful budget created by a very confused government and he is also urging the Prime Minister to change the Attorney General.

While opposing the budget in parliament, Bulitavu says 72 percent of the budget is on operating expenditure, while only 28 percent is on capital expenditure and the reality of this budget is that the people will suffer more.

He says this budget will set a new record as Fiji’s overall debt will come to $10.5 billion in 2024.

He also says according to the Finance Ministry quarterly report, the coalition government from the 1st of January to April has access to about $223.2 million in borrowings and it is much higher than what the FijiFirst Government did during the same period last year.

The FijiFirst MP says the budget does not have any new policies or ideas that will generate revenue or create employment, and he is adamant that the coalition government will not reach their target revenue.

Bulitavu also highlighted that the budget has more duplication and wastage, giving the example of having the Public Works Department and the Fiji Roads Authority, and he also questioned what PWD will do in this new government.

The parliamentarian also claimed that the FijiFirst Government never delayed in it’s debt repayments and also said that the debt crisis was used by the coalition to scare the people that FijiFirst was drowning the nation with its debt.

The FijiFirst MP says the new budget does not have any policy to develop the iTaukei community and he hopes that the Minister for iTaukei Affairs will put in place some policies with the increased budget the Ministry has.

Bulitavu also called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to change the Attorney General because of the decision he made that ensured the Great Council of Chiefs held their meeting.