Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry says following the Prime Minister’s comments that he had to make it very clear to all ministers to cut down on costs, Labour calls on the government to release the full details of the $0.5 million each allocated for the Girmit and Ratu Sukuna Day celebrations.
Chaudhry says they question the need for an international conference and golf tournament to celebrate Girmit Day.
He asks are these events appropriate to commemorate the blood and sweat of our Girmitya forefathers toiling in the cane fields in slave-like conditions.
The FLP Leader further says the Prime Minister’s statement that he is not happy with the $360,000 budget for the Economic Summit is a rebuke to Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad.
Chaudhry says this is the third time that Prasad appears to have ruffled the Prime Minister’s feathers.
He says the first was when the Prime Minister announced there will be a mini budget in March but Prasad immediately countered that publicly by saying there will be no mini-budget, just the Budget in July.
Chaudhry says the second was when Prasad jumped the gun and announced that “taxation increases are inevitable” just as he announced the appointment of the Fiscal Review Committee.
The FLP Leader adds this undoubtedly puts the coalition government in a somewhat awkward, if not embarrassing position, as it had been campaigning to bring down the high cost of living, not raise taxes.
We have sought comments from Professor Prasad.
