Fiji Delays In-Person National Budget Consultations Amid Adverse Weather

National budget consultations scheduled to take place across parts of Fiji have been postponed until further notice because of adverse weather, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement, citing concerns for public safety.

“This decision has been made in the interest of public safety and to ensure that communities, stakeholders, and officials are not exposed to unnecessary risk during this period of inclement weather,” the ministry said, announcing the suspension of the in-person consultation program. The statement said the postponement applies to sessions planned for affected areas but did not specify which locations had been impacted.

The ministry reiterated its commitment to an “inclusive and participatory budget process” and said new dates for the consultations will be communicated in due course once weather conditions improve. In the interim, it urged Fijians to prioritise safety while the weather event continues to unfold.

Members of the public and stakeholder groups were told they can still submit input through the official channels the ministry has previously provided. The statement encouraged continued participation via those avenues and reassured contributors that submissions will be accepted despite the deferral of face-to-face meetings.

Budget consultations are a key step in the annual fiscal cycle, giving communities, civil society, businesses and other stakeholders an opportunity to feed views into spending and revenue priorities. The ministry’s postponement therefore represents a temporary disruption to that timetable; officials said they will announce revised arrangements as soon as it is safe to resume outreach.

The Finance Ministry closed its statement by thanking Fijians for their understanding and cooperation during the weather situation and repeating the appeal that safety remain the top priority while conditions are unsafe for travel and public gatherings. Further updates and the rescheduled consultation dates will be released through the ministry’s usual communications channels.