“Poverty has increased by 13 percent since 2006".
Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry made those comments during a campaign meeting at Gujerati grounds in Ba today.
Speaking to forty-seven people including children who were present at the meeting Chaudhry said that farmers, employees and ordinary people are living in poverty.
Chaudhry further said that the government has declared a minimum wage of $2 which is a joke.
He also questioned as to who will be able to survive with that $2 an hour wage rate.
The FLP General Secretary said that if a person works for 40 hours then they will only earn $80 a week.
He said that the Labour Party has said that they will increase the minimum wage rate to $3.50 an hour and will review it regularly to keep pace with the cost of living.
According to our reporter who was at the grounds, a party supporter had to be escorted out of the Gujerati grounds by some security officers.
Meanwhile the FijiFirst said it is important to note that the government put in a number of measures to cope with the rise in inflation.
These include increasing the income tax threshold by almost 90 percent from $8,400 in 2006 to $16,000 in 2013, reducing the PAYE tax rate, providing free tuition for primary and secondary schools, free bus fares, continuation of zero rating for VAT for tinned fish, flour, sharps, edible oil, rice and tea.
The party also said that the current government also has the pension scheme and food voucher programme.
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