AS a new budget year approaches, members of the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) in the Western Division are preparing to engage government agencies on how best public funds could be accessed by rural communities.

The discussions began in Lautoka on Thursday between district social service officers, government stakeholders and development partners with the opening of the European Union-funded People’s Participation and Oversight in Public Finance Management (PFM).

Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organisations (PIANGO) and FCOSS, the two-day workshop was the result of phase one of the council’s PFM project carried out in 2020.

FCOSS executive director Vani Catanasiga said after a people’s livelihoods survey last year, FCOSS was able to put together budget submissions that highlighted the needs of people at the grassroots level. She said using the same concept, the district council of social services (dcoss) members in the region would then establish submissions for the next national budget.

She said that an important link to making these submissions was having a collaborative approach with Government.

“Our counterparts in Government often compile their development plans and put that into their budget submissions so we are trying to make sure that they are in the room and hear from our DCOSS representatives so that there is that immediate connection,” she said.

“We are hoping at this time to connect with the divisional commissioners’ submissions.

“Often, CSOs (civil society organisations) engage Government at the national level but this time, we are facilitating a space for grassroots communities to talk with Government and to make sure those inputs are coming in from them as well.”

She added, more importantly, budget submissions made by the district CSOs would be specific and highlight issues and challenges that needed public funding.