Update: 3:08PM AS the country prepares for the announcement of the 2016 – 2017 National Budget later today, market vendors at the Lautoka Municipal Council Market are also weighing in on the impending implications of the funding allocation to different sectors.

The Fiji Times spoke to stall owners and asked what mattered most to them and what they hoped to get out of this evening’s special Budget announcement. 

Vegetable and crop seller Takelo Savou said there needs to be more funding for Local Government municipal councils so that charges such as stall fees could be reduced. 

“The stall fees are too high,” he said. 

“The prices of vegetables and root crops are also expensive for us.” 

Another vendor Kishore Kumar agreed that stall fees were too exorbitant. 

“One stall in the old market costs about $1.80 each but in the new market one stall costs $2.20,” he said. 

“So we are able to buy more than five stalls in the old market but in the new one we can only buy two stalls.” 

The budget will be announced by Finance Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at 7.30pm.