New Budget expected to be no different to previous budgets

The recurring theme will be development and investment for our people.

All eyes will be on the Budget that will be announced by the Minister for Economy and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on June 29.

Since 2014, FijiFirst budgets have been focused on improving the infrastructure around the country and rightly so. For decades, roads and bridges nationwide had suffered from lack of maintenance. Making right the decades of neglect no doubt needed hefty investment. In many places, this investment is now showing the results. The four-lane road leading to Nadi International Airport is just one of the many improvements seen on our roads.

Anyone traveling along the Suva-Nausori corridor would also see the difference in our roads, from the old to the new modern surface that makes driving a lot easier. That was an investment which needed to be made. Similar provisions for infrastructure development can be expected in this Budget.

Defence spending is another very important part of any country’s budget. It is more important for us because of our peacekeeping duties. Equipping our peacekeepers properly is important. Many people criticise our spending on our security forces but the same lot do not factor in the remittances that are earned. Keeping the defence spending high on the agenda is also expected.

One of the highlights of the FijiFirst Government has been its priority on education. Free education up till secondary school and the availability of Tertiary Education Loans Scheme is likely to receive a boost. Special announcements on tertiary education can also be expected.

Empowering iTaukei land owners with finance and resources to develop their land and to receive prime rental for it has been a hit in past years. Expect this initiative to continue and expect more landowners to benefit from this.

Providing opportunities for first home owners or those wanting to buy or build their first homes will be a boon for many, many young Fijians. There has been a series of discussions regarding this. This Budget may shed some light on this.

Spending on health is likely to receive a boost too. But it is more important that public-private partnership models be explored for hospitals in the country. There is a tendency for people to compare Fiji’s healthcare system with those in developed countries or closer to home - Australia and New Zealand. What people fail to realise is that Australia and NZ have much bigger economies and populations that pay bigger taxes. To match them is impossible because we do not have the same resources.

One way is to increase our taxes just to narrow the gap. But here in Fiji, we do not want that.

At the same time we want the best possible services. It is a fact that the Fijian healthcare system is one of the best in the South Pacific. But, countries in this region are not our benchmark. In Australia and New Zealand people are encouraged to visit their general practitioners rather than turning up at public hospitals. If we can seriously explore private-public partnership models for our hospitals we will not strain the Government coffers too much.

In recent days we have seen overseas sporting teams being hosted for various matches in Fiji. This has been made possible through investment in upgrading our infrastructure and in this case our stadiums and parks. More money is expected from the Budget to host international teams in Fiji.

Money for climate change projects is also expected to increase. Fiji has been playing a lead role in the international arena seeking change and it is expected that this commitment be translated back home with more climate friendly projects receiving a boost.

All Budgets of FijiFirst Government have had a common theme of development. The new Budget will be no different. The recurring theme will be development and investment for our people.