The bare figures in the Budget often hide the larger human impact.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated this while speaking in support of the 2024/2025 National Budget, where he says for instance the section about electricity subsidies and free water for households on low income.
Rabuka says the electricity initiative involves $10 million divided among 55,000 households which is about $181.80 per household.
He says the benefits, therefore, will be widely felt.
The Prime Minister says similarly, the free water project for around 40,000 households will reach many individuals or about $200 per household and equal to the ‘Back to School’ Grant per child.
He says the huge increase in the Social Welfare budget last year to $200 million continues in the new budget to bring relief to approximately 100,000 people.
Rabuka says there are many other examples of financial support to make daily living a little easier for those in need with about $2,000 per Social Welfare Beneficiary.
He says further says the new National Development Plan for charting Fiji’s way ahead for the next five years is officially the People’s Plan and it will complement the budgets going forward.
The Prime Minister says about 20,000 citizens took part in consultations prior to drafting the National Development Plan, so there should be no doubt about their commitment to doing right by the people.
Rabuka says he had warned during the elections that the obstacles they would face in office were formidable, and so, it has proved.
He says but that is what they signed up for; they are not deterred.
The Prime Minister says they have had their setbacks and made errors but that happens with all governments.
He says the people of Fiji are awakening to a compelling truth: although we are divided by language, customs, and traditions; we nonetheless share something that binds us; something that should make us brothers, sisters and neighbours.
Rabuka says we belong to Fiji, these islands are home to us all.
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