Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says the significance of Girmit Day cannot be underestimated and the expenditure is justified.
While responding to a question during fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan on allocating half a million dollars each for the celebration of Girmit Day and Ratu Sukuna Day while being cash strapped, Professor Prasad says when they got approval from the Cabinet, they had said that they would get sponsors and already have more than $100,000 sponsorship for Girmit Day and could possibly get more.
He says this is an expenditure which is worth spending and when you say consultation, commemoration, celebration and allocating money, it is like operational expenditure where government does things but government spending also helps the economy and without government spending, you cannot do anything.
He says with the girmit expenditure, this is a historic decision where Girmit Day is going to be a public holiday.
He says we do not only live by just eating and sleeping and there is much more to an identity, people and a nation.
Professor Prasad says he thinks people should be applauding the Prime Minister and the government for declaring Girmit Day a public holiday.
He says some people are asking why it is not on the 14th of May but 14th is a Sunday.
The Deputy Prime Minister says there will be a reconciliation service on Sunday and it is quite brave of the Methodist Church of Fiji to say that they hurt the people of Indian origin and want to apologise and reconcile.
He says they are not forgetting 1987 as they are the people who opposed it.
Professor Prasad adds we have to look back and learn from history but look forward to the future and the expense is totally justified and is building confidence.
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