The FijiFirst Government is on life support assisted by other nations and foreign loans - Waqanika

SODELPA MP Tanya Waqanika says our nation’s economic status is in the red and the FijiFirst Government is on life support assisted by other nations and foreign loans.

While responding to the President’s opening address in parliament, Waqanika says she also praises our tourism industry, which welcomed our tourists yesterday after a lull of 20 months.

She says tourism is the backbone of our economy and it is in everyone’s interests that we welcome our visitors back to Fiji but we must not be too complacent.

She says we are not out of the woods yet and we cannot afford a 3rd wave and further lockdowns.

Waqanika adds Omicron has already reached Australia and it is only a matter of when it will reach Fiji.

She says just last week the New Zealand Government pledged an additional NZD$40m in budget support and in May this year, they also offered a grant contribution of NZD$40m in budget support in response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID pandemic.

The SODELPA MP went on to say that it is really concerning that the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum can easily dismiss the entire Housing Authority Board and replace them completely however Sayed-Khaiyum says he had a meeting with the board, they talked about it, and they gladly resigned from the board.

Waqanika say this board is appointed by the Minister for Public Enterprise which is Sayed-Khaiyum

She says she has never known in her entire professional career where an entire board was removed all at once.

Waqanika also highlighted that the recent resignation of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission came as a shock to many.

She says this is a constitutional appointment, surely due diligence, reference checks would have revealed that prior to his appointment, and the Office of the Attorney General and the Attorney General himself, surely would have known that Chandra had no Practising Certificate.

She says what concerns her is that these few boards have a common denominator which is the Attorney General.

Waqanika says if this is the standard that the Government is setting for our nation, then truly their interpretation of democracy is a farce.

She adds the sacking of the former Solicitor General at 11pm on the eve of the departure of the former President, was a low blow.

Waqanika says the same goes for the sacking of the Government Statistician who was escorted out of his office like a common criminal.

The SODELPA MP also highlighted that the MP’s should not be quick to attack the media as they hold them accountable and are asking questions on behalf of the people.

She says sadly, some media organisations are the propaganda mouthpiece of the Government.