NEWLY sworn-in MP Inosi Kuridrani says the 2025-2026 Budget is not about the balancing of figures but removing disparities in development by the equitable sharing of national wealth.
In his maiden speech in Parliament last week, Mr Kuridrani said the budget contains an over-arching objective of improving the quality of life and standard of living of every citizen of Fiji.
“It is a budget that induces confidence, invests in infrastructure; brings improvement and development, empowers our people in both rural and remote areas, is focussed on prudent financial management, seeks to create jobs for our people and is a timely shot in the arm for resource-based sectors to expand the export strategy net and strengthen our dollar,” he said.
“This budget is not about freebies or creating a dependency syndrome, as was the case with the previous government, dangling carrots at their voters.
“It has not let any sector of our economy starve of empowerment and paves the way into the future with real development and accelerated growth.”
He said the budget is neither sugar-coated nor drafted in panic.
“It is responsible budgeting whose announcement has in fact created panic and fear across the floor of this House, as the honourable Assistant Minister for Information rightly questioned it, where is the alternative budget? “If they do not have it, then, please just sit down and keep quiet.”
