Qarase claims his Govt did not use the USD$150M

Former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has now come out claiming that the 150 million US dollars loan taken by the former SDL government was never used by his government.

Speaking to 100 people in Qauia during the SODELPA campaign meeting, Qarase rejected FijiFirst Leader, Voreqe Bainimarama’s statement that Qarase as Prime Minister in 2006, borrowed the money to pay for pay rises he promised to civil servants and fund civil service operating expenditure.

The FijiFirst has given this as an example on how the government finances were handled by the Qarase government compared to the Bainimarama government where the current government borrowed funds for capital expenditure for building assets like roads, bridges, hospitals, jetties, rural electrification and schools.

Qarase has now said in the campaign meeting in Qauia that although his government secured the 150 million US dollars loan, it was not used by the former SDL government because of the coup.

Qarase said the money was then used by the government that came into place after the 2006 coup.