In a recent address, Opposition MP Premila Kumar called on the Government to prioritize policies that genuinely benefit the citizens of Fiji. Responding to the Minister of Finance Biman Prasad’s assessment of the economy, Mrs. Kumar emphasized the need for initiatives that include reducing duties on essential goods, providing support to small businesses, tackling the emigration of skilled workers, and investing in infrastructure projects that create job opportunities.
She asserted that the policies should uplift all members of society rather than primarily aiding the affluent. “Our people deserve policies that lift everyone, not just those at the top,” she stated. Mrs. Kumar urged the Government to ensure that the economic improvements are tangible for all Fijians, voicing concern that these benefits should not only be evident in statistics but also in the everyday lives of the population.
Mrs. Kumar critiqued the current economic strategies as being overly beneficial to a select group, pointing out practices such as tax exemptions for large corporations and salary increases for high-income brackets, which she believes leave the majority of Fijians behind. “They talk about economic growth, but growth for whom? The privileged few, the multinationals, and the well-connected elites,” she said, highlighting the need for a more inclusive approach to economic policy.
This call to action reinforces the importance of creating equitable policies that serve all layers of society in Fiji, fostering a balanced economic environment directly benefiting citizens.
The hopeful message in Mrs. Kumar’s remarks suggests that there is bipartisan recognition of the need for inclusivity in economic reforms, which could be a stepping stone towards enhanced collaboration for the betterment of all Fijians.
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