Opposition MP, Rinesh Sharma has criticized the 2025/2026 National Budget, raising concerns over rising debt levels, youth challenges with tertiary education funding, and inconsistencies in economic policies.
While opposing the budget, Sharma mentioned that Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad had criticized budget practices when he was in Opposition, but now the Minister has changed his views on VAT increases, tax fairness, and public debt.
He says the Minister of Finance spoke about the rich getting richer and the poor remaining poor under certain tax reforms, however, in 2023, he increased VAT to 15 percent.
Sharma also raised concerns about the challenges within the education sector, calling for tighter monitoring of the $200 back-to-school grant, saying the funds are being used for other purposes and not for the children.
He shared several student concerns about the Tertiary Education Loan Scheme, including a small increase in the semester allowance, a student being denied support after missing the cut-off mark due to illness, and unfair differences between merit and non-merit scholarship amounts.
He says students have also shared concerns about not being properly informed about bond conditions, limited help for those under the hardship scheme, and difficulties getting support for a second course because of existing loans.
He adds that the TELS portal has issues, including delays and unclear debt information, and criticized the government’s lack of action in addressing them.
The MP says that the Coalition Government likes to boast about writing off debt but has failed to address the internal issues faced by the youths of Fiji.
He adds that if students take loans for their education, it is their responsibility to pay them off, which is a good virtue to instill in our youths.
He also says that the loan pay-off scheme needs to be flexible and must address the current challenges faced by young people.
