MPs pay rise is not fair as they should think of the people first – Nanuku Settlement resident

Members of Parliament getting a pay rise is not fair, as they should think of the people first.

Nanuku Settlement resident, Nanise Marama raised this issue with fijivillage News on why Members of Parliament are giving themselves a pay rise.

Marama says parliamentarians are already getting good pay.

She says the parliamentarians should look at people like them living in settlements, where the cost of living is high but the minimum wage is low.

69-year-old Kusma Wati who has been residing in Wailea Settlement for 45 years says her Social Welfare pension is not enough because the cost of living is high.

Wati says when she goes shopping it will cost upwards of at least $170 which is too much as she only gets $115 pension.

The 69-year-old says she also has to budget her money for her clinics twice a month at the Raiwaqa Health Centre, which means she has to go by taxi as she cannot go in the bus.

She says this is not a good time as the price of everything is just going up.

Wati is also asking why are frozen chickens so expensive if it is from Fiji, as it does not make sense.

She says in this budget groceries and medicine prices should come down.