Today the country will anxiously wait for the presentation of the 2018-2019 Budget.

It will influence how we manage our finances in the next financial year.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has already said this would be a responsible Budget.

We can take it from that statement that this will be a well balanced Budget. There will be few surprises and all the Government initiatives that have been rolled out are expected to be maintained.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told the Ba Provincial Council in Viseisei, Vuda, yesterday that Government would build on the opportunities it had created for the Fijian people to prosper.

He said infrastructure development that had transformed our nation’s prospects would continue. Much of that development has been in the west. Mr Bainimarama said this was because of the West’s importance to the overall health of the national economy, especially through tourism and sugar.

He gave a basic outline of what the Budget would contain a range of initiatives that will build on previous Budgets.

The focus will be putting the people first and  it will provide:

More of the basic services

More of the things they need to help themselves, not handouts but leg-ups

More opportunity to embrace Government initiatives and enterprise

So watch for a prudent Budget.

Politics of lies

Mr Bainimarama also spoke out against the politics of lies and got stuck into political opponents.

Politicians who spread lies do a great disservice to this country. They mislead people, divide communities, create cultural and religious intolerance and incite ethnic tension.

When politicians lie, some people swallow their lies and the saddest thing that happens is that  these people remain ignorant.

But when politicians tell people the truth, they empower people with correct knowledge to be able to make wise decisions.

If politicians are genuine to serve the people and help them  progress,  they will not tell them lies but tell them the truth.

Feedback:  nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj