OPPOSITION MP Vijay Nath has questioned whether the 2026-2027 National Budget does enough to prepare Fiji for the possibility of El Niño later this year, warning that the country cannot afford to focus only on disaster response instead of disaster preparedness.
Speaking during the budget debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Nath said regional climate agencies had already warned of the potential return of El Niño, bringing prolonged dry conditions and increased pressure on communities.
“This warning should not be ignored,” he said.
He said El Niño could lead to reduced rainfall, water shortages, agricultural losses and heightened food security risks.
“The question before this Parliament, is this budget sufficiently prepared to respond to that possibility?
“The Opposition’s assessment is that the level of preparedness demonstrated in this budget is not adequate.”
Mr Nath said the budget placed too little emphasis on drought preparedness, emergency logistics, water security and the pre-positioning of essential supplies.
“The Government must understand that disaster management is not only about responding after a disaster occurs.
“True leadership is about preparation before disaster strikes.”
