Participate instead of jumping the gun — Biman

PARTICIPATE in the process instead of “jumping the gun”.

This is the message from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad to those who were drawing their own conclusions regarding proposed changes in Fiji’s taxation system.

“I’ve said it repeatedly that we haven’t made any decision as to what tax, what policy,” he said.

“Fiscal review committee is a technical committee that I have appointed to advise the Ministry of Finance, to the Government to look at all the data, look at all the statistics, look at our tax policies, look at our revenue policies, look at our expenditure policies.

“So that when they come up with a report, we have all the information, all the details.

“So those who are jumping the gun and saying ‘oh, you know, this will happen that will happen’, I say to them, just participate in the processes that we put in place.

“They have full opportunity and I invite all of them.”

He said they had invited all the Opposition

members to the summit and invited other interested parties as well to make their presentations to the fiscal review committee.

“Come to the National Economic Summit, write to the Ministry of Finance, write to me about suggestions about what they feel should not be in the budget, what they feel should be in the budget. They’re all welcome. This is a Government which is prepared to listen.

“Of course, you know, we will not at any point in time be able to take everything that people suggest, but we welcome the ideas so hang on, and keep providing us with your feedback and suggestions.

“That would be my message to those who think this might happen or that might happen.

“No, we haven’t made any decision on anything yet.”

Prof Prasad also said while there was an urgent need to address the high public debt situation, which had always been a concern, they would be looking at ways for fiscal consolidation.

However, he said this would be done in a balanced way that looked after the interests of all the sectors and ensured that Fiji had sustained levels of economic growth.