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Usamate highlights policy mismatch

September 25, 2024 4:27 pm

Independent Member of Parliament Jone Usamate [Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

Independent Member of Parliament Jone Usamate claims there is a “mismatch” between policies, strategies, and indicators within Fiji’s National Development Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2050.

Speaking during a panel discussion, Usamate highlighted the need for better alignment between the country’s long-term strategies and the indicators used to measure their success.

Usamate stresses the need for a review of the plan’s indicators to ensure they align more closely with the overarching policies and strategies.

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He points out specific sections of the plan related to governance, suggesting that the current indicators may not fully capture the strategies needed to drive progress in that area.

“There are some things that I feel a bit funny about, and that is the actual linkages between the policy statements and the strategies, and what we take as indicators. Because at the end of the day, what people will work on is the indicators.”

Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad assured stakeholders that the government will adjust National Development Plan indicators when needed to achieve long-term goals.

“Some of the indicators, some of the KPIs have to be re-looked at, depending on the situation, there are a lot of what you call the X factors or things that might happen.”

Prasad says by maintaining flexibility in the evaluation process, the government can better align its efforts with the changing needs.