Opposition Member of Parliament, Premila Kumar, has criticized the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for trying to promote the National Development Plan in an unpersuasive manner, claiming that no one is interested. During her response to Professor Biman Prasad’s Ministerial Statement on the plan, Kumar emphasized the importance of gauging public sentiment about the initiative.
She raised questions about how individuals feel when shopping for groceries, buying medicines, or paying for services such as legal and medical assistance. Kumar pointed out that while officials may speak about economic growth, the real measure of success is how it impacts the everyday lives of citizens, from the bills they pay to the services they access.
Kumar described the National Development Plan as an unrealistic vision that fails to address the immediate challenges faced by the populace. She urged the Deputy Prime Minister to improve his approach and criticized Professor Prasad’s ambitions of transforming the country into a high-income nation. She argued that the Bainimarama Government has made significant strides, transitioning the country from no income status to a middle-income level.