We have to watch every dollar, Ro Teimumu Kepa said when she responded to the 2022-2023 National Budget on Tuesday.

The Member of Parliament used the daily conduct of a Fijian housewife to make sense of her response to the Budget.

“In fact, every cent as we cannot afford to let the dollars run away from us. The funds that the minister has at his disposal are not his own personal funds,” she said, making reference to the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum.

“Therefore, the responsibility is greater in that the funds belong to the taxpayers of Fiji, which include all of the housewives in Fiji, as well as all of the people of this country, as it mainly comes from taxes and penalties imposed upon the people so he has to have a more responsible or accountable attitude.”

Ro Teimumu said Mr Sayed Khaiyum cannot afford to be reckless and careless when it comes to spending. After looking at the Budget, she said the basic principles of managing the Government were not much different from managing household expenses.

“The difference being that the Government’s funding runs into billions of dollars, whilst my household budget is in the 1000s,” she said.

She also said the need for prudent management and common sense applied equally in the Budget as it was at home.

“From very wise words in the Bible, where we are told the importance of the little things by the suggestion that if we are faithful in the little things, we will be faithful in much; if we are dishonest in the little thing, we will be dishonest in much,” she said.

“And this is in regard to a wealthy man who had a manager to overseas his business enterprises where it was apparent that the manager was incompetent and wasteful like the wastefulness of the Government.”

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