Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says he is not in Government for a “popularity contest”.
He stated this in response to the recent Tebbutt-Times Poll, which gauged the approval ratings for five leaders in Government and Opposition.
Prof Prasad received a 66 per cent approval rating in the poll conducted between July 4 and 12.
A random national sample of 1014 adults aged 18 years and above were represented using random-digit dial computer assisted telephone interviewing.
“Polls are important but in the current context it is a minor issue compared to what the Coalition Government has set out to do in rebuilding our future together,” Prof Prasad said.
Additionally, the National Federation Party (NFP) leader said all three parties of the Coalition Government were firmly focused on making Fiji a land of hope and opportunity.
He said the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka was the catalyst for the Coalition Government’s ministers and assistant ministers to perform their roles quite ably.
This, he said, was to ensure conformity to the Government’s fundamental principle of care, compassion and empathy “for all our people”.
“Our Government didn’t waste a moment in ensuring the restoration of freedom, genuine unity and inclusivity.
“And the implementation of the 2023/2024 budget will go a long way towards signaling to the people that they can fully trust their Government to do the right thing by them.
“Fearmongering, electioneering and popularism are firmly things of the past. Our Government has reset the moral compass towards the path of good governance, transparency and accountability, which are prerequisites to genuine democracy.
“Together, we shall prevail.”
The Tebbutt-Times Poll has been funded by The Fiji Times and conducted independently by Tebbutt Research since 1992.
