Poverty Decreased from 35% to 24% Under Fijifirst Leadership: Premila

WHICH MEANT UNDER THE BAINIMARAMA-LED PARTY 100,000 PEOPLE WERE LIFTED OUT OF POVERTY

Poverty alleviation programmes and the many citizen income-saving initiatives introduced by the FijiFirst Party has helped to reduce poverty from 35 per cent to 24 per cent in the country.

FijiFirst Candidate, Premila Kumar,

made this point while addressing the crowd of about 300 during the party’s 2022 General Election rally at the Katonivere Grounds in Labasa Town, on Wednesday.

In 2002-2003, the poverty level in the country was 35 per cent which meant a reasonable number of people were living in poverty.

However, the 2019-2020 Household Income and Expenditure Survey indicated our poverty had declined to 24 per cent which meant under the Bainimarama-led party 100,000 people were lifted out of poverty.

Ms Kumar spoke on the effectiveness of the Bainimarama-led Government which introduced many financially relieving assistance such as free education for children from Years One to 13, free student bus fare, textbooks, sanitary pads and the ministry-supported free education grant (FEG) for schools.

“Before each and every household had to raise funds because if you don’t raise funds, you can’t fix the school, you can’t run the school and children’s education was negatively affected,” she said.

Other initiatives such as the subsidised electricity and water payments, providing home grants for first homeowners, reduced the income tax threshold where people earning less than $30,000, pay nothing.

Ms Kumar encouraged willing voters and party supporters to cast a tick, circle or cross around its party leader, Voreqe Bainimarama’s ballot number.