Prof.Prasad says the Govt has poorly delivered during this crisis and this COVID crisis will not end in October

The Leader of the National Federation Party Professor Biman Prasad has labeled the Government as gutless, invisible and missing in action.

While opposing the 2021-2022 National Budget, Prasad says he listened for more than two hours to the Budget speech and waited to hear the Minister for Economy talk about the crisis we are facing in Fiji right now but instead he could not believe what he heard.

Prasad says we are in the worst health, social and economic crisis Fiji has ever had since independence and thousands of people are infected with a deadly virus.

He says the Economy Minister does not want to talk about the crisis and only wants to talk about when we are vaccinated. Prasad says this Government does not want to face the reality of what is happening and the Minister is silent.

He says this is the fault of the Government, not the people’s fault, as they have failed to protect the people.

Prasad says the $200 million for unemployment assistance, the $200 million for business recovery and relief on their electricity bills all sounds great, but the key is delivery and the talk must be turned into action.

He says Government has poorly delivered during this crisis. Prasad says all the big talk about the $50 grant for lockdown affected people was a disaster.

He says the 161 number crashed and some people could and some could not get through.

Prasad also questioned the delivery of food rations that has become a joke.

He says Government was just basically throwing around ration packs so they could say on Facebook, that they delivered 4,000 ration packs today.

Prasad says people have been struggling for months and only now, when there is a big budget announcement, is the Government doing anything, so they can talk about it.

He also questioned why is the Government making a big song and dance about paying the stall fees for market vendors and this is because the town and city councils are running out of money.

Prasad questioned what has happened to the great Ba and Lautoka Hospital Aspen contract, how much did FNPF lose in this and how much money Aspen make.

He says now we find there is another allocation for Public Private Partnership to run Ba and Lautoka Hospital and questioned who is the owner of this new company?

He says the first home buyer’s grant has quietly reduced from $10 million to $4 million and questioned what happened to this allocation.

The NFP Leader also highlighted that he was questioned by Police on the statement he issued on Friday about changes to Bill No. 17. Prasad says the NFP President Pio Tikoduadua, former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his colleagues from SODELPA were also detained along with the Unity Fiji Party Leader.

He says in his case, all he said was, it was arrogant and disrespectful of Government not to have consulted landowners about the changes.

The Leader of NFP says yet the Assistant Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Selai Adimaitoga accused him for spreading lies.

Prasad says it is a joke when one behaves like a puppet of her masters, reading something penned for her.

Meanwhile the Assistant Minister for iTaukei Affairs Selai Adimaitoga says many Opposition Members are spreading lies that is causing division amongst people and victimizing the iTaukei.

Adimaitoga says these are dangerous and irresponsible lies that MP’s like Viliame Gavoka, Lynda Tabuya and Professor Biman Prasad continue to spread.