Tabuya says COVID-19 has exposed Govt has no creative ideas and money

SODELPA Whip Lynda Tabuya says COVID-19 has finally exposed that the Government has no creative ideas and money to help the people however Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum states the Government has directly spent $300 million on COVID-19 related matters.

While making her contribution to the 2015 Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Annual Report, Tabuya says they have said it several times that the Minister for Economy should just do the right thing and resign.

She adds we have qualified economists such as Dr Mahendra Reddy who can take his place.

Tabuya adds our people are angry and hungry.

She also says last year’s COVID-19 Response Budget at least offered jobs for thousands of Fijians with shovel-ready projects such as the CWM Hospital Maternity Ward but it has been two years now and it has not progressed.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum then raised a point of order that Tabuya should be speaking on the 2015 Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Annual Report which has nothing to do with the hospital.

Tabuya went on to say that these projects have not gone ahead because the government does not have money.

She has also questioned why the Reserve Bank of Fiji cannot just print $500 million and loan it to the government.

The SODELPA Whip says this money can be distributed to the micro, small and medium-sized businesses so they can keep their staff employed.

Meanwhile, Sayed-Khaiyum says the Government has directly spent $300 million on COVID-19 related matters, and the point is that the machinery of the government has been working.

Sayed-Khaiyum says $160 million has been paid out in unemployment benefits through phases 2 and 3, $30 million in concessional loans have been given out for micro, small and medium enterprises, $10 million through the $90 MPAiSA grant through which 37,206 households in Nadi and Lautoka were assisted and 81,430 households from Suva, Nausori and Lami have been assisted.

The Minister for Economy says $100 million has been used for Health and Medical Services which includes frontliners like the Fiji Police and the RFMF.

He says on top of this, $150 million has been released by FNPF.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they continue to pay the same salary rates for the civil servants, infrastructure, education, access to justice, social protection, welfare payments have not been stopped, legal aid has not been stopped and agriculture is doing it’s work.

He has also raised the issue about SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula saying he holds the Prime Minister responsible for the latest outbreak.

Sayed-Khaiyum says what nonsense is this.

He says when there is an outbreak in Melbourne, does the opposition in Australia say they hold Scott Morrison responsible.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the opposition makes imbecilic comments and make comments not backed by facts.

He also says they also cannot have bi-partisanship as they are diametrically opposed philosophically with them.

Niko Nawaikula had claimed the Prime Minister is totally responsible for all the mess that Fiji is in now.

Nawaikula had said in parliament that the Prime Minister should first apologise to the nation and take responsibility for what has happened.

He has also questioned why the Minister for Disaster Management and his Ministry is not involved in relief efforts.