Former Director of Development Studies at the University of the South Pacific, Professor Vijay Naidu, questions the increase in budget allocation provided to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.

Professor Naidu raised this question during the Dialogue Fiji Post Budget Forum last night, highlighting that productivity is a very important component of economic growth.

He questions the productivity the RFMF brings to the economy and to society.

“The elephant in the room that we haven’t talked about is the good $60 million additional expenditure that we are making to the Fiji military forces. It is the same military that has caused us disaster after disaster, and here we are putting money into the military.”

Echoing similar sentiments, another participant, Dr. Mosmi Bhim from the Fiji National University, claims that peacekeeping is a waste of money as it is an expenditure for the Fiji Government.

“Not only are we paying for the expense of peacekeeping, we are training the soldiers to do coups in Fiji.We buy the equipment for them, which they use to carry out, the equipment that’s bought for them for peacekeeping, they train them and they use it to carry out coups in Fiji.”

Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, states that the component for peacekeeping and the main budget for the RFMF were incorporated together in the new budget, and the increase is not $60 million.

Participants in the panel discussions believe the allocation would be better utilized if given to the law enforcement agency for much better law and order satisfaction in Fiji.