Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has questioned why strong Government revenue collections have not translated into meaningful relief for families struggling with rising living costs.
In a statement, Chaudhry said the Finance Minister’s announcement that Government revenue had reached $2.9 billion by the end of April highlighted the strength of tax collections, but ordinary Fijians were still facing increasing fuel, electricity and food costs.
“While the tax system has performed better than expected, Fijians are right to question why this healthy position has not translated into any meaningful relief for households facing rising costs,” he said.
Chaudhry criticised Government for refusing to remove the additional 20 cents per litre fuel tax introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic despite rising fuel prices and strong revenue performance.
“With revenue performing strongly, the refusal to remove this duty looks increasingly difficult to justify, especially when ordinary families are paying more at the pump, and now in their electricity bills,” he said.
He warned that the recent 5.9 cents per unit electricity tariff increase would flow through to higher prices for food, goods and services.
“These additional costs will be passed on through higher prices for food, goods and services,” he said.
Chaudhry also raised concerns about the sugar industry, saying farmers were entering the 2026 crushing season without clarity on the cane forecast price.
“The sugar industry continues to operate without any clear direction. The cane forecast price for the 2026 crop has not been announced so far,” he said.
He further criticised the lack of effective price control mechanisms, claiming the Consumer Council lacked the authority to intervene meaningfully as prices continued to rise.
“The reality is simple. A Government with strong revenue collections has the capacity to provide relief. This administration has decided against it,” Chaudhry said.
