Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu and Opposition Member Semi Koroilavesau

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says his will has been answered as Fiji’s national budget was announced yesterday.

Rabuka and other political leaders have shared their views on the budget, highlighting both praise and concerns.

The PM expressed overall satisfaction with the budget, emphasizing its alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.

The 2024-2025 National Budget according to Rabuka is a budget for all at the same time stresses the importance of resource allocation to achieve the pillars of the government goals.

“For me, at my level, it’s a good budget because I asked the minister and cabinet, what is our narrative to the nation? What is our narrative to the world? And the narrative behind the formulation of the budget has been satisfying our contribution towards the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.”

Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu acknowledged the government for presenting the budget but reserved detailed comments until further review.

“It’s too early for me to make very detailed comments on the budget. That will be subject to us going through the budget book and the specifics within the budget.”

Seruiratu commended the budget for its provisions in social welfare assistance, salary increases for civil servants, and the continuation of development activities in the social sectors, such as education, health, and infrastructure.

“Whatever is good for the national interest, we will definitely support it. We are not here for our own political gains. We are here to serve every Fijian, and that will always be our priority.

Opposition Member Semi Koroilavesau appreciated the budget’s attempt to balance income and expenditure for the 2024-2025 period. However, he expressed disappointment over the decision not to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 9%.

“A lot of people had anticipated this reduction to make life much easier for the population, especially the marginalized and the poor.”

The mixed reactions reflect a range of perspectives on the budget’s impact and the government’s approach to addressing Fiji’s economic and social challenges.