The Coalition Government today pledged to continue its economic reform agenda with a national budget anchored on transparency, inclusivity and resilience amid intensifying global uncertainty.
In his third national budget address, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said Fiji’s economic policy was now driven by “clarity, not secrecy” and guided by national consultations.
“We do not hide our plans. Our aim is to ensure that we have economic and fiscal policies which are transparent and predictable,” he told Parliament.
The 2025–2026 Budget, themed “Building Security, Stability and Prosperity”, was framed against what Prof Prasad described as an “extraordinary global environment” citing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, inflationary pressures and regional contestation.
“This budget is a practical and deeply measured national response… Nothing is hidden from any of you. Nothing is held back,” he said.
The Finance Minister stressed that the policies reflected extensive feedback from the public: “These policies and programs arise from our conversations with the people of Fiji.”
He also pointed to a turning point in Fiji’s democratic history.
“This is the first time in our post-independence history of almost 55 years that a democratic transition in Government from one group to another has lasted for more than a year,” Prof Prasad noted, signalling a milestone in democratic resilience.
The budget speech re-emphasised the Government’s core fiscal principles: transparent policy, stronger institutions, open debate, and equitable service delivery for all citizens, from “those living across the road to those in the most distant parts of our great country.”
