Premila questions pay cut proposal

Opposition MP Premila Kumar has questioned the Coalition Government’s financial management, following comments by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka suggesting possible pay cuts for civil servants.

Speaking in response to the proposal, Ms Kumar said Fiji had already endured significant hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the economy contracted by 17 per cent, tourism collapsed, thousands lost their jobs and schools closed for nine months.

She noted that despite the economic downturn, civil servants, including teachers who remained at home during lockdowns, continued to receive their salaries while support was also provided to unemployed workers and struggling families.

“Today, after borrowing $2 billion during a period of economic growth and strong revenue collections of $4 billion, the Prime Minister is already floating the idea of pay cuts for civil servants,” Ms Kumar said.

She questioned how Government funds had been spent, arguing that there was little evidence of major new infrastructure projects.

“This raises a serious question: where has all the money gone? Not in new roads, not in new hospitals or any new infrastructure,” she said.

Ms Kumar said the Government should consider reducing expenditure elsewhere before asking public servants to shoulder the burden.

She called on the Prime Minister to review the size of Cabinet, reduce non-essential spending and curb overseas travel by ministers.

“Instead of asking civil servants to pay the price, the Prime Minister should first look at reducing the size of his Cabinet, cutting non-essential spending and curbing excessive overseas travel by ministers,” she said.

Ms Kumar said any move to reduce public sector wages would place additional pressure on workers and their families.

“Threatening workers’ livelihoods is not leadership, it is an admission that Government has run out of ideas,” she said.

The Government is yet to formally announce any decision on civil service pay cuts.

Feedback: sosiveta.korobiau@