Budget lacks direction to tackle inflation – Bala

Independent MP Parveen Bala says the 2024/2025 National Budget lacks countermeasures to tackle inflation and escalating cost of living, which impacts the daily lives of ordinary Fijians.

While opposing the budget in Parliament, Bala says there are no measures to offset the rising cost of living that the budget chooses to ignore.

He says this includes lack of specific tax and duty reductions to cushion this impact beyond the lame excuse that prices will continue to rise because of rising cost of production.

Bala says this is not an answer to the problems faced by ordinary Fijians who want real action to make their lives easier.

He says the increase in debt and expenditure and slow economic growth are alarming indicators of our current path.

The former FijiFirst MP says for the past two years, they have witnessed drama after drama instead of action.

The MP says people of Fiji are suffering because the country is not progressing and no matter how much funds are allocated or how good policies are, none of this will work without political stability.

Bala says there is a need to resolve this but the investors are hesitant to invest because they do not feel secure in the lack of confidence in the company.

He says the Government has lost its way due to short-sighted decisions on many fronts, losing the best and brightest Fijians because they see the discrimination and lack of a secure progressive future for themselves and their children.

The former FijiFirst MP says multi-racial cards during special events like the Girmit celebration are used and this budget lacks positive growth because it is rooted in backward looking negative thinking.

He says the previous Government was about delivering on the ground and not just big talk and he is challenging the Government for an open debate on Govind Park and swimming pool since he has been hearing about this for the past 2 years.

Bala further says the minimum wage implementation with a nominal increase to $4.50 in August 2024, and an additional $0.50 in April 2025, is deeply troubling.

He adds the difference between promise and actual implementation is not just a matter of poor planning, it is abreach of trust, with the people of Fiji, who placed their faith in this promise during the elections as the extra $1 per hour does not even extend enough to meet their extra cost of living, reflected in the basic groceries in their basket.