Baby grant

Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Suva

Thank you FijiFirst Government for the Baby Grant announced in the 20182019 National Budget and thank you Fiji

Sun for publishing the story on Torika Tinai, who gave birth to her fifth child on Tuesday, which qualified her for the $1000 Parenthood Assistance Payment scheme. (Fiji Sun 2/8)

The story has clarified some misinterpretation Fijian women had in mind, thinking that this baby grant only works for women who have not given birth to three children.

It is now clear that all Fijian women who give birth after 1st August 2018, whose total income is less than $30,000, are eligible for the $1000 grant.

One reason the Bainimarama Government came up with the grant is to encourage Fijians to increase our population as we are still less than a million in numbers.

The Opposition may call this excellent incentive as a vote buying exercise but put yourself in a struggling child bearing woman's shoes, like Torika Tinai and this grant is indeed a blessing! As a Fijian, my heart is lifted up when I read of struggling families being given assistance by the Government, even though the opposing forces will see it as an Election freebie.

Any right thinking Fijian will vote for our current FijiFirst Government to continue moving Fiji forward.