‘People need help now’: Lautoka ratepayers question Budget plans

"People are not looking for announcements and promises. They want real assistance."

Lautoka Ratepayers Association president Narayan Reddy is calling for immediate relief measures to address rising living costs.

The Government should put immediate relief for struggling Fijians ahead of delivering a National Budget, he said.

Mr Reddy said households were grappling with rising fuel prices, increasing food costs, expensive medicines and ongoing challenges in the health sector.

He questioned whether the Government had the financial capacity to deliver a meaningful budget while many citizens continued to face mounting cost-of-living pressures.

“The budget will simply be a paper budget,” Mr Reddy said.

“Families are finding it harder every day to pay for food, fuel, medicine and other basic necessities.”

Mr Reddy said the Government should consider postponing the Budget until December and redirect available funds towards subsidies that would provide immediate relief to households and businesses.

“Our health sector is struggling, our education sector is struggling and our roads are deteriorating,” he said.

“Many teachers are still waiting for salary adjustments and allowances, while patients are being forced to pay higher prices for medicines that were once affordable.”

Mr Reddy highlighted the sharp increase in the cost of essential medicines, noting that some inhalers that previously sold for about $10 now cost nearly $19.

“The poor are being hit the hardest,” he said.

“Government hospitals often do not have enough supplies and people are left with no choice but to buy medicine privately.”

In criticising the lack of broad-based fuel relief, Mr Reddy said rising fuel costs had affected almost every aspect of daily life.

“The price of bread, food and transport has gone up. People’s purchasing power has gone down and businesses are suffering. Just look at the growing number of empty shops,” he said.

He said the Government should focus on helping citizens manage the next six months rather than producing a budget that may offer limited practical relief.

“Fijians need assistance now, not another budget document,” Mr Reddy said.