Govt must act now – Tikoduadua

The President of the National Federation Party, Pio Tikoduadua says calls, pleas and cries for real assistance is increasing and government must act.

While moving his motion that parliament approves $50 million from the COVID-19 support aid funds provided by Governments of New Zealand and Australia to be disbursed as income support to the unemployed and affected small and medium businesses as a result of the outbreak of the pandemic, Tikoduadua says government must have a clear definite plan and practical solutions to meet its social and moral obligation to the people in their hour of need.

Tikoduadua says they cannot leave it to individuals, or politicians of the likes of two particular Assistant Ministers to treat calls for help with disdain or a joke.

Tikoduadua says one of Assistant Minister for Employment, Alvick Maharaj’s colleagues remarked to his fellow Government MPs that he was giving the number of a sacked teacher facing charges, to growers he considered as being notorious when they asked him about the 4th cane payment.

The NFP President says the second case was of a Nausori resident calling an Assistant Minister from the same district about food ration last weekend.

Tikoduadua says the Assistant Minister said that if there were 30 to 40 people, government could help but when the man replied 200 people were affected, the Assistant Minister told him to ask Professor Biman Prasad and NFP for rations.

Tikoduadua told parliament they have proof for this. Maharaj then raised a point of order saying Tikoduadua should reveal the names of the Assistant Ministers instead of using his name.

Tikoduadua has not revealed the names of the Assistant Ministers.

He went on to say that government lacks a well-defined plan to objectively assist those in dire straits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.