SODELPA Opposition MP Aseri Radrodro says he will focus on ‘bread and butter issues’ in his response to the 2017-2018 National Budget in Parliament today.

When he takes the floor, it will mark a new milestone in his Parliamentary career.

This is the first time he will be replying to the Budget as the new Opposition Shadow Minister for Economy.

He takes over from Biman Prasad, the National Federation Party leader.

The change of guard happened after pressure from the SODELPA hierarchy and its parliamentary caucus.

Mr Prasad was the Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa’s nominee for Shadow Minister for Economy. The choice did not go down well with some SODELPA MPs who also questioned the allocation of  front bench seats for the three NFP MPs.

The aggrieved MPs felt that Mr Radrodro, who is a qualified chartered accountant, should have been appointed.

It created an internal rift in the party and caused a frosty relationship between the SODELPA and NFP.

When Sitiveni Rabuka was elected new SODELPA leader, the party set in motion a process that eventually led to the change. Ro Teimumu was instructed by the party to make the change.

Mr Radrodro is a key member of the Public Accounts Committee which is chaired by Government Whip, Ashneel Sudhakar.

He said that he would dissect Government policies in respect to various Government Budget provisions.

In an earlier interview after the Budget announcement, he labelled the 2017-2018 interesting and mostly focused on giving out handouts to people.

But, Mr Radrodro said that the salary increment for civil servants was a good move by Government. He will be the first MP to respond to the Budget.

Mr Prasad refused to comment yesterday.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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