Government not to blame for fuel price hikes, says PAP president

The Government cannot be blamed for rising fuel prices because the increases are being driven by global events beyond its control, says People’s Alliance Party (PAP) president Ratu Josefa Dimuri.

Speaking in Labasa today, Ratu Josefa said people would better understand the situation if they considered the international factors affecting fuel prices.

“The major powers of the world and owners of fuel resources have been involved in conflict for many months, and the effects are being felt globally,” Ratu Josefa said.

“I understand some people, including our supporters, are frustrated because some of the promises we made have not been fulfilled as quickly as they expected.

“But I believe they will come to understand that when we made those promises, we were looking at the house from the outside.”

Ratu Josefa said that once the party entered Government, it realised the extent of the challenges it faced.

“When we got inside, we discovered the house was in a mess, and some of the plans we had could not be implemented immediately,” he said.

He called on supporters to be patient and assured them that some commitments, including proposed changes to the 2013 Constitution, would take time.

Meanwhile, Ratu Josefa suggested the Government consider relief measures to help people cope with the rising cost of living.

“One option could be providing Fiji National Provident Fund members with greater access to their funds to help them get through this period of high fuel prices,” he said.