For Our Economic Recovery: A-G

As the world grapples with events ranging from global pandemic to war, here at home, we face two choices: We can point fingers at each other or we can lock hands in solidarity.

“We choose the latter.”

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum while delivering a powerful budget address last night in Parliament reminded Fijians what is at stake and how important it is for us to collectively get through it.

“Together we will get through this superstorm of global events and we will do it by building on the recovery we are delivering for Fiji.

“We will grow our economy, we will create the jobs and opportunities that every Fijian deserves to have in their lives, he said as he announced serious measures Government put in place to bring down cost of living at home.

“While announcing big moves to bring down the cost of essential food items, fuel and while continuing to invest in our students, our infrastructure, he reminded Fijians that Government policies steered Fijians to a better life.

“There are countries and societies that are living under lockdown right now. Imagine if that were still Fiji. Imagine if we had to bear today’s price-increase crisis with our economy still crippled by COVID.

“Imagine if we had made short-sighted and fearful economic decisions instead of showing the wisdom and foresight to ready ourselves for recovery.

“Imagine that timidity, and stupidity, had caused us to keep our borders closed and our people out of their jobs. Imagine that Government was operating today on the meagre revenues of last year –– including a low of $77 million in May of 2021.

“If we had given in to the demands to lock up the country and wait in the dark for the pandemic to pass, that is the situation we would surely face at this moment.

“And I can assure everyone here in this chamber, Mr. Speaker Sir, that the $360 in assistance that Fijians received  would not go nearly as far today as it did then. We would have to give more assistance from a dwindling treasury and make many more sacrifices.”

“Instead, we can create solutions derived from our prosperity. Because the most important way we build resilience to these external shocks is by building on the momentum of our recovery and doing so as one, united nation.

“And so, I return to the fundamental question that hundreds have asked of us and thousands have on their mind: What lies ahead? What is next? The answer lies in the promise of this mini -budget and its support for a bold, sustained and a broad economic recovery.”

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s full budget address will be published in tomorrow’s Fiji Sun Weekend edition.

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