National Federation Party President, Pio Tikoduadua says the current rudderless cash strapped government has no shame.
In his response to the COVID-19 Response Budget, Tikoduadua says someone who is an expert with theatrical and drama skills, the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum while delivering the supplementary budget tried to arouse the emotion of the people by blaming the Opposition and brandishing high in the sky figures of how the assistance was to stay ahead of the COVID-19.
Tikoduadua says in reality, in terms of direct assistance to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of the loss of paid employment and reduction in business activities in the formal and informal sector is $100 million under Head 50 of the Budget Estimates and this too is under restriction.
He says other measures announced as part of government’s stimulus package such as deferment of loans and interest payments and affected members allowed to withdraw their own funds from FNPF are not direct assistance from government.
Meanwhile the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in his Right of Reply says that there's confidence in the system and they will be also willing to give levels of comfort if the problem persists.
