Opposition MP, Alvick Maharaj has questioned why the government has not announced assistance for taxi operators, minibus operators, and other sectors in the transport industry, as it only announced $4 million in assistance for bus operators.
While responding to the Ministerial Statement by the Esrom Immanuel on the Fijian economy and the fiscal response to the global fuel crisis, Maharaj claimed that whenever a crisis occurs, government assistance always starts with bus operators.
He questioned whether the families of taxi and minibus operators did not matter.
Maharaj says fuel companies across Fiji are currently facing severe cash flow issues due to unsustainable wholesale margins and the skyrocketing cost of purchasing fuel in US dollars.
He adds that if the government continues to mismanage the sector, Fiji could soon move beyond the price crisis and face a severe fuel shortage, grinding transport services and industries to a halt.
Insert: Maharaj on why, 25th May 26
The Opposition MP says rural and maritime communities are suffering the most from rising fuel costs, as boat operators, carriers, and transport providers servicing the outer islands are already struggling with higher operating expenses.
He says for many maritime families, transport is not a luxury; it is a necessity for food supplies, medical access, education, and economic survival.
Maharaj adds that the government has failed to provide targeted relief for these vulnerable communities.
He also highlighted that while the government hides behind, what he calls, the convenient shield of external shocks and Middle East conflict, the public should be told the truth.
Maharaj says the administration failed to prepare for the early signs of the global crisis.
He says the government boasts about redeploying $56 million to manage the crisis, but the measures are too little, too late, and are merely band-aids on a gaping wound.
Maharaj adds that the reality on the ground is that the prices of essential commodities, food, and basic services are skyrocketing, and people are suffering.
In his Ministerial Statement, Minister for Finance Immanuel says conflicts happening around the world are expected to impact the global economy through high commodity and fuel prices, rising inflation, disrupted supply chains, and tighter financial conditions.
He says increased energy costs are already affecting transportation, food, fertiliser, and manufacturing prices worldwide.
Immanuel says Fiji has a small and open economy that is heavily dependent on imported fuel and is highly vulnerable to external oil price shocks.
He adds that rising global fuel prices continue to have significant implications for the economy, including increased inflationary pressures in the near future, higher business and transportation costs, impacts on tourism and investment activity, and added pressure on government finances and the balance of payments.
The Minister says while uncertainty surrounding future global fuel supply remains a concern, the government has been proactive by engaging through diplomatic channels and working closely with international partners to secure fuel supplies.
Immanuel says the coalition government remains committed to protecting the people, businesses, and the broader economy during the crisis.
