Biman shifts focus to lamb chops price
National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad’s determination to bring down the price of lamb chops was brought up in Parliament yesterday.
When campaigning in 2014, Mr Prasad had promised to bring down the price of lamb chops and other lamb portions if he formed Government. But, not many took him up on the offer, and NFP had to make do with three seats in Opposition. Yesterday, while delivering a reply to President Jioji Konrote’s speech, Mr Prasad brought up the trusty lamb issue and reiterated on his promise to bring down its price.
“And I can guarantee that one of the food items whose duty will be reduced and made VAT free will be lamb products like lamb chops, lamb shank and lamb necks.”
He also claimed that FijiFirst Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers were telling Indo-Fijians that their security was guaranteed only under the current Government.
He was asked by Attorney-General Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum to provide proof to back his claims but none was presented yesterday.
Mr Prasad said: “We are flattered by the attention the Government is giving us in its attacks over the past two days, particularly them over of the Motion, the Honourable Prime Minister. We assure him, we fear no one; we will not be intimidated; and if we are attacked we will return fire with intensity and interest.” Mr Prasad also confirmed that NFP would bring up the civil service retirement age to 60 years, if they form the next Government. He further claimed that Government had been running around “the country handing out millions of dollars for so-called “small enterprise grants” without knowing or caring how this money is spent”. However, during the morning session of Parliament, Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya had given a detailed breakdown of the Micro and Small Business Grant that Mr Prasad referred to in his speech.