Loa Villagers Thank Govt For Budget Consultation
The villagers of Loa in Cakaudrove have acknowledged the Government for accepting their request to hold a budget consultation at their village for the first time.
Meleti Raimuria and Isimeli Vaniqi presented a traditional welcome on behalf of 40 households to the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the Financial Year 2022-2023 National Budget Consultation on Friday.
Mr Raimuria thanked Mr Sayed-Khaiyum for accepting their request made a few weeks ago to conduct a budget consultation in the village.
The village closer to Natuvu Jetty is about three hour’s drive from Labasa Town.
“We, the people of Loa Village, although living by the sea, far from the main towns of Vanua Levu would like to contribute to the budget consultation,” Mr Raimuria said.
“Your presence in the village and sharing information about what is happening in Fiji means a lot to us.”
Mr Vaniqi said for some of them it was the first time to see Mr Sayed-Khaiyum face to face.
“Sir, we have seen you on television, heard you through radio stations and we get to know when you in Savusavu and Labasa,” Mr Vaniqi said.
“We had always wished that you would come to our village and spend some time with us.”
The 70-year-old farmer thanked him for taking his time out.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum thanked them and said it was the first time a budget consultation was taken to a village in the Northern Division.
“We have had some consultations in villages of Viti Levu but not in Vanua Levu,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“Budget consultation events are very important because the budget sets out every year how much money the Government will spend the following year and what is the goal of the budget not just for one year but for all the following years.”
He told the gathering that he saw there was no electricity in the village and where the electricity grid ended.
“In the 2022-2023 national budget there is some allocation for extending the electricity grid as some people had asked for it,” he said.
“There are some people who want to get connected to water, have better roads, new Irish crossing, bridges, free education, and there are some provisions in the budget.”
Another consultation is scheduled for Saturday to be held at Labasa Civic Centre from 10am.
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