Do Not Expect Promises in Next Budget

The Interim Prime Minister has today hinted that the people should not expect an over-abundance of promises when the 2009 national budget is announced in November.

Speaking at a workshop for Interim Ministers and Permanent Secretaries at Nasova this morning, Commodore Frank Bainimarama said he must avoid making numerous promises as he would like the budget to be one to boost confidence, particularly in the private sector, for it to invest more to grow the economy and to generate the much needed employment.

Bainimarama said he also wants the 2009 budget to be pro-poor, to improve the basic living conditions of our people and foremost, through the budget he wants the public sector to demonstrate its own commitment to change, by doing more with less, by raising its productivity and service delivery and by ensuring its own right-sizing through the much needed and long overdue reform and restructure.

Meanwhile, the Interim PM called on the heads of government to bring about a sense of urgency in getting things done and the three words that they must internalize, individually and collectively as leaders of the public service and the current government to move Fiji forward is implementation, implementation and implementation.