Independent Member of the Parliament, Sachida Nand is asking Government why there is a disparity between grades or bands for civil servants' pay.
While responding to the 2024/2025 National Budget, Nand says all civil servants are an integral part of the civil service and these are the people that keep the services running.
Nand says the increment should have been uniform as all work equally hard or is the Minister for Finance's view that some are more important than others.
He says the Government is finally coming partially true to their word to increase the minimum wage, however, he asks why $4.50 from 1st August and $5 from April 2025 and on what basis they have come to this rate.
The independent MP asks if is it based on a minimum wage review and if it is true, where is the report and why has the report not been made public.
Nand says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad has said to give a minimum wage of $5 to the people then give it now rather than nine months down the line.
He also acknowledged the Government for the reinstatement of FNPF pension payments which has been requested by the people for a long time.
Nand says the budget falls short of addressing investment and growth in Fiji and there is nothing new that encourages locals to invest in the country. He says he fails to see anything in the budget that attracts foreign investment in Fiji and it is not good as Fiji needs foreign investments to grow the economy.
He adds this government is relying too much on direct budget support from donor agencies and they should remember that this is not a permanent facility that will always be available.
Nand says he does not support the next budget.
