This is a desperate budget as the Government tries to please everyone, in the desperate hope of winning next year’s elections – Qereqeretabua

National Federation Party MP, Lenora Qereqeretabua says it is just amazing how the Government loves to criticize the Opposition as politicians as the last time she checked everyone who sits around the parliamentary tables, apart from the Speaker, are politicians.

Qereqeretabua says all these wordplays, really are quite pathetic.

While opposing the 2021/2022 National Budget, Qereqeretabua says the state of our health system is enough to stop anyone from coming to Fiji but she finds it dishonest, that the budget address and all other statements from Government, dangles a carrot that high vaccination numbers will automatically make outside borders reopen to receive us, when the fact of the matter is, that is beyond Fiji's control.

She says this is a desperate budget as the Government tries to please everyone, in the desperate hope of winning next year’s elections.

She says she skimmed through the consequential bill for Customs Tariff Act hoping to see some basic food items on the list but the only products that will cost less are green tea, fruit juice not manufactured locally or has no added sugar, vegemite, lead acid batteries for buses and taxis, audio visual equipment such as television cameras, digital cameras, video camera recorders, pocket-sized radio cassette players and radio receivers, electrical equipment, non-woven bags, cement, timber/wood, reinforcing bars, veneer plywood, nails, powdered milk, liquid milk, butter, yogurt and cheese.

But she says just before elections, water tanks, free connect wifi at central points, walesi TVs, $1,000, that many probably didn't even apply for, will fall like manna from heaven.

Qereqeretabua has also urged the Government to withdraw the amendment to Bill 17, and stop answering their concerns and the concerns of land owning units with an empty assurance that iTaukei land is safe. She urges Government to have some respect for the traditional owners of this land and consult.

The NFP MP says it also amazes her that the CEO of TLTB consulted with the Solicitor General's Office but not the Board.

On medicinal marijuana or industrial hemp, Qereqeretabua says the Government ridiculed Opposition members when this subject was raised by two MPs. She says imagine her surprise when the Attorney General brought up the subject of medicinal marijuana.

Meanwhile Qereqeretabua says the Head of the Government continues to show appalling behaviour towards women - calling a female journalist an ‘ulukau’ resulting in the Fijian Media Association putting out a statement and calling out women MPs as worthy only of TikTok. She says this is disgusting and unbecoming behaviour of a leader of this nation, and this should stop.

Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will give his right of reply tomorrow.