Expect announcement on further pay cut for Ministers and PM soon – Prof. Prasad

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Professor Biman Prasad says Ministers and the Prime Minister will get a further pay cut in addition to the 20 percent pay cut they have now due to COVID.

While speaking to the media after being officially welcomed at the Ministry of Finance, Professor Prasad says Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka will be making an announcement very soon.

He also says pay cut for civil servants were the kind of rumours and misinformation that was spread by those in the previous Government and nothing of that was on the agenda of any political party in the coalition government.

When questioned if Permanent Secretaries, some CEOs or Directors in the Government will be removed, Professor Prasad says when you have a new government, you can expect certain changes but they are not out there to make changes just for the sake of making changes.

The Deputy Prime Minister says the Ministry of Finance believes in the philosophy of working together, consultation and in no surprises and they have already laid down a plan for that consultation and dialogue process.

While responding to former Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s comments on the appointment of 29 Ministers and Assistant Ministers being lavish, Professor Prasad says it is a bit rich for Sayed-Khaiyum to label it as lavish.