Opposition MP Premila Kumar has raised concerns regarding the Government’s decision to reallocate funds from the 2023-2024 budget after the conclusion of that financial year. She highlighted the Cabinet’s approval of these funds redeployments in August, questioning why such actions were taken when the financial year officially ended in July.
In an interview with FijiLive, Kumar emphasized that these actions reveal a significant lack of foresight and financial management. She criticized the Minister of Finance for not providing clarity about the $105.2 million in both over-expenditures and under-expenditures that were redeployed in July, despite his assurances of transparency.
Kumar urged the Minister, Hon. Prasad, to refrain from shifting blame to the previous administration. She insisted that the Coalition Government needs to show tangible improvements in the lives of Fijians through effective financial management and by fulfilling its commitments.
She called for the government to offer clear explanations, take accountability for its actions, and ensure that public funds serve the people’s interests rather than cover up inefficiencies.
Additionally, Kumar described the Minister’s comments about the funds redeployment as defensive maneuvers that fail to address valid concerns. She asserted that it is the Opposition’s responsibility to ensure the government maintains strict control over spending, fosters transparency, and practices good governance.
Kumar clarified that her inquiries are not personal attacks but rather focused on accountability and the effective use of public funds for the benefit of all Fijians. She criticized the Minister for repeatedly trying to deflect attention from critical issues by comparing his actions to those of past governments.
She noted that the core problem is not just about exceeding the approved overall budget but also about the significant under-expenditure, which poses its own set of challenges. For example, no progress was made on rural electrification projects even with $4.1 million allocated. Furthermore, only 39 percent of the $12 million earmarked for hospital equipment was utilized, and the Ministry of Education managed to spend merely 11 to 20 percent of funds intended for upgrading schools and staff facilities. Such failures raise serious doubts about the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises.
Kumar also mentioned that the matter of teacher pay within the Ministry of Education should have been adequately addressed in the upcoming 2024-2025 budget instead of depending on the redeployment of funds from the previous financial year’s budget. She made a similar point regarding the Fiji Police Force.