Rabuka has made a U-turn from his initial budget reaction and Biman Prasad should stop worrying about a budget deficit during a crisis - Bala

Minister for Employment, Youth and Sports, Parveen Bala says the Leader of Opposition Sitiveni Rabuka has made a U-turn from his initial reaction to the budget and National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad should stop worrying about a budget deficit at a time of crisis.

Bala says Rabuka earlier made some positive noises on this budget.

While contributing towards the 2020/2021 National Budget debate, he says if they really want to know about the U-turn then they must fix their bolts and nuts then come and ask in parliament.

Bala says Fijians need to be careful and even afraid of these kinds of flip-flop politics from flip flop leaders.

The Minister says Rabuka knows that under his leadership there was no economic progress and safety nets for Fijians apart from the few who benefited from the National Bank of Fiji saga which we are still paying for.

He also says NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad is giving negative comments with no substance and should find out what a good government does during a time of crisis.

He says the government borrows, spends and earns and it must let go of budget deficit because it has to work on a plan for survival and recovery which is the simple economics of dealing with the global crisis and it is this simple plan the government is working through in this budget.

The Minister also says that he is disappointed to see that some civil society organisations are jumping on the bandwagon now.

Meanwhile, Bala has welcomed the $100 million that has been made available to make sure that every unemployed Fijian is able to access full relief payment as 115,000 Fijians or a third of the workforce have had their hours reduced or have lost their jobs.

Bala has also welcomed the budget allocation for the new small, micro, medium initiative as apart from providing immediate relief, new job creators will also emerge from these schemes.

He has also welcomed the $5 million allocation for upskilling and reskilling workers whose old jobs have been lost but for whom new opportunities await and the announcement that any sponsor who donates to a Fiji National Sports Commission listed entity will receive a 150% tax deduction and removing the $10,000 threshold.