National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad says that they have a lot of cleaning up to do if they get into parliament as an NFP government.
Professor Prasad highlighted this during the NFP Working Committee meeting that was held today where he has labelled the 2018/2019 National Budget as one by a government with champagne tastes, but on a beer budget.
Professor Prasad says NFP will reduce the excise duty on beer so that its price becomes affordable.
He says upon revelation by NFP that Government was making almost twice as more money than the brewer which is $35 VEP or over $41 VIP compared to the brewer's cost price of $24.07 the Attorney General revealed that government earns $83 million in taxes from beer and $63 million from cigarettes.
Prasad says this total figure of $146 million does not include VAT that people pay when they buy beer but Excise Duty paid before the products leave the factories.
He says the people end up paying the cost of beer kept by the brewer, the Excise Duty as well as VAT collected by government and the profit margin charged by the retailer, which has to change.
Prasad says beer is a social necessity for the working class and a regular beer drinker will not drink more if the price is low, nor will he or she drink less if the price is high.
He says NFP will bring down the currently very high cost of living by making 15 basic food and other items VAT free and reducing duties on some of them.
Prasad says they will also introduce a phased in living wage of $5 an hour for unskilled workers and also a lot of skilled workers who are receiving far less, like the garment industry workers.
He says that they will also store tenure of employment in the civil service, do away with the contractual employment and increase retirement age to 60 years.
The NFP Leader says they will also implement a minimum guaranteed price of $100 per tonne for sugar cane beginning from 2018 and start work to build a new sugar mill in Penang, Rakiraki.
Prasad says they will also review the fines, fees and charges to bring down the cost of doing business and start restoring fundamental freedoms and rights by reviewing decrees.
He says they intend to achieve the objectives and many more within the first 100 days in government.
