So, we can expect fuel prices to rise again from August 1! Now that isn’t something a lot of people will be keen to hear or read about.
In fact, it will stir frustration, anger and anxiety in many people, and there will no doubt be a sense of insecurity and uncertainty.
This isn’t great news at all! It isn’t the kind of news we want right now, just when you would think there was hope on the horizon.
With all that is happening in the Strait of Hormuz and other parts of the Middle East, it is near impossible to see light at the end of the tunnel now.
But there is hope that common sense will prevail and that dialogue will lead to action that benefits us all.
However, until that happens, we are left to deal with circumstances beyond our control and hope for the best.
We are now being warned to brace for a fuel price hike next month.
The latest increase has been linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says Government has been advised that fuel prices are expected to rise again because of developments overseas.
The increase, he said, is being driven by international events that have pushed up global fuel prices. It is a situation that is beyond the Government’s control.
He acknowledged that many people had hoped fuel prices had stopped climbing. Speaking at the launch of the Fiji Blue Economy and Green Growth Community Development Program at Koronatoga Village in Cakaudrove yesterday, he said international events continue to have a direct impact on our economy, particularly through rising fuel costs that will push up the prices of goods and services.
Now, this is where we reflect on our challenges. It is this connection to the prices of goods and services that we will mull over. It has the potential to hurt us all, from families struggling to make ends meet to businesses already dealing with rising operating costs.
Because fuel touches almost every aspect of daily life, increases at the pump eventually find their way into freight charges, public transport, food prices and the cost of essential services.
Let’s face it! It is a chain reaction that often ends with the consumer carrying the greatest burden.
In the face of this, we say let us be vigilant. Let us be aware of what we can do to ease the burden on our pockets.
Let’s begin by making sensible choices. Let’s plan journeys, reduce unnecessary travel, carpool where possible, let’s support local produce and avoid waste. We say businesses can look for efficiencies. This is also when we say Government can press ahead with investments in renewable energy for instance, improved public transport and policies that strengthen local production and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
Sure, we cannot influence conflict on the other side of the world. That’s the harsh reality of our lives. However, we can strengthen our ability to withstand its effects. Such times call for resilience, prudent spending and a collective effort to build a more self-reliant economy.
We must have the political will to take these practical steps now.
