Former Reserve Bank of Fiji governor and Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube has delivered a scathing assessment of the 2026-2027 National Budget, arguing it fails to live up to its theme of being a “Responsible Budget for a Sustainable Future”.
Mr Narube said Fiji’s economic fundamentals were far weaker than portrayed by Government.
He said a national budget should not only allocate funding but also shape the country’s economic direction.
“So, when I look at the banner of this budget, it says responsible budget for a sustainable future. Two key words are there, ‘sustainable’, ‘responsible’.
“So, I looked at the numbers and what I found, that is the budget is not responsible, nor does it build a sustainable future.”
Mr Narube rejected Government’s assessment that Fiji’s economy remained fundamentally strong.
“No, they are not. They are not good. So, if you’re starting from that false platform, then everything else cascades down from it.”
He said Fiji’s economic growth had remained below its potential for more than a decade.
“Economic growth in the last 10 years or maybe more has been well below its potential of five per cent annual growth.”
Mr Narube said the country faced structural economic problems that required structural reforms.
“So, when you have that structural barrier, you need a structural solution.”
He also warned that inflation, unemployment and poverty continued to weigh heavily on ordinary Fijians.
“So those are big fundamental issues, and the minister discovers it over and says we are fundamentally strong. No, we are not.”
