AG announces payouts for those earning less than $50,000 based on the number of children in the family

Duty on used cars will be increased by $1,000 while the duty on new cars will be increased by 5 percent.

While announcing the 2022/2023 National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the government will also introduce a luxury vehicle tax of $10,000 per vehicle for vehicles above 3,000cc.

To further promote and support the use of green technologies, they are expanding incentives to support the purchase of Electric Vehicles and charging stations.

Government had previously announced a 7 year tax deduction and a 5 percent subsidy for capital investments in charging infrastructure/stations for electric vehicles above $100,000.

The subsidy has now increased to 10 percent on investments over a lower threshold of $50,000.

VAT and fiscal duty on all electric vehicles will now be zero-rated to allow accelerated depreciation of 100 percent. Government will also provide a $5,000 subsidy per vehicle if a local business purchases 5 vehicles or more.

The current employment taxation scheme expires in 2023 and allows for a 300 percent tax deduction on first full-time employees, on wages paid for work placements in a related area of study up to 6 months in a year before graduation, and to students employed on a part-time basis.

The 10 percent reduced rate of corporate tax available to companies listed on the SPSE will only be available for 7 years. Companies that have enjoyed for 7 years or more will now pay the corporate tax at the rate of 20 percent. This will be effective from Tax Year 2023.

A 100 percent tax deduction will be available to companies on the amount of tuition and living expenses paid for student(s) at a higher education institution specified in the Higher Education Act 2008.

The deduction applicable for the purpose of living expenses is limited to $7,000 per calendar year and must be paid into a bank account held at a commercial trading bank under the name of the student.

The 150 percent tax deduction available to hotels and resorts that hire local artists such as craftsmen, dancers and musicians will be increased to 300 percent.

Sayed-Khaiyum has also revealed that the Residential Housing and Development Incentive Package will be further incentivized.

A 50 percent developer profit exemption will be available to projects with a minimum investment level of $5 million and at least 10 residential units. Customs concession (zero duty) on the importation of capital equipment, plant and machinery. There will be no condition on the sale price.

A 5-year age limit will be imposed on the importation of secondhand petrol and diesel motor vehicles.

This will be aligned to the age limit of 5 years on hybrid vehicles.

The Euro IV compliance requirement will be maintained.

A transitional period will be allowed to import vehicles older than 5 years provided that the vehicle was ordered, paid for or loaded for shipment to Fiji on or before 16th July 2022 and that the shipment arrives in Fiji on or before 31st December 2022.

The government will be phasing out duty protections for Fiji Dairy in the lead-up to the expiration between the Government and Southern Cross Foods Ltd on 31st August 2022.

Duty will be reduced from 32 percent to 5 percent after expiry of the agreement on cheese, yoghurt, and liquid and powdered milk.

The government has increased the FNPF employer and employee contributions from 6% to 7% from 1st January 2023 through 31st December 2023.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says for more than a year now, FNPF members’ accounts have received contributions at a lower rate.

This 1 percent reversal for both employers and employees should credit around $40 million to members’ accounts.

The government will eventually revert the contribution rates to a total of 18 percent (10 percent for employers and 8 percent for employees) in the coming years.

Sayed-Khaiyum says any employer who chooses to contribute in excess of the 7 percent mandatory contribution up to 10 percent, will be allowed to deduct 300 percent of the additional contribution from their taxes, and that additional income for their employees will be exempt from income tax.

Government revenue is forecast at $2.9 billion while expenditure stands at $3.8 billion for the 2022/2023 National Budget.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says this will bring the Debt to GDP ratio to 85 percent.

He says the budget creates certainty.

Sayed-Khaiyum also says the economy is projected to grow by 12.4 percent this year.

He says the boom is back and it is a Bula Boom.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji is expected to surpass 500,000 visitor arrivals this year. He says cumulative revenue collection as at 30th June 2022 amounted to $1.96 billion, of which $1.5 billion was tax revenue. The Minister also says Fiji is well on track to achieving the $2.25 billion annual revenue forecast, with June tax collections exceeding the forecast by $11.6 million. He further says 92 percent of employees have returned compared to pre-COVID and most importantly, the wages paid to our people are up by $210 million –– 15 percent higher compared to this same six-month period last year. He says this is $210 million in the pockets of our taxi drivers, tourism employees, airport staff, factory workers, farmers and families.

However he says the bad news is that even though wages are rising, so are prices due to challenges Fiji didn’t cause and cannot control.

He says thanks to the recovery, the budget builds more buffers to the price-increase crisis.

Sayed-Khaiyum further says in 2 years the government lost about $2.8 billion in revenue.

He says the average cost of our overall debt portfolio as of July is 4.4 percent of almost a quarter from pre-pandemic levels.

He says that’s at least $100 million annual savings on interest payments mainly due to Government's ability to negotiate lower-cost, policy-based loans and concessional financing.

Sayed-Khaiyum says in the coming months Fiji expects $1 billion in investments in the private sector.

Foreign reserves also hit a record high of $3.62 billion equivalent to 8.4 months of imports.

He also says many developed and developing nations are facing down a recession – Fiji is not.

He says many nations are facing double-digit inflation, even as high as 80% – Fiji’s is in the single digits.

The Minister says many countries have vaccinated fewer than half of their eligible populations. He says Fiji’s adult population is virtually all vaccinated. He also says some people in other countries are waiting for days for fuel and cooking gas – Fijians are not.

Bus fares will be reduced by 10 percent across the board for the next 6 months.

While announcing the 2022/2023 National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says this is effective from 1st August 2022.

He says bus users will pay discounted fares, while Government will pay the difference directly to the bus companies through a $6 million allocation in the 2022-2023 Budget.

The government will make an advance payment to all bus companies for the month of August based on previous records and reconcile this with acquittals and e-ticketing data every month.

The COVID-19 economic support measures announced in the 2021-2022 Budget suchas electricity and water subsidies, Stronger Together Job Support Scheme and Jobs for Nature, social welfare support, access to GPs and medical practitioners, support for transportation (payment of base fees, PSV drivers licence fees, stall fees for market vendors, inshore fishing fees will continue for the next 12 months.

The zero rating VAT on the 21 items announced earlier year will continue.

$145,000 has been set aside in the National Budget to enable Fiji Roads Authority to commence a pre-feasibility investigation into the construction of the Viti Levu cross-country highway.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says this road will become one of, if not the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the history of the South Pacific.

He says from a strategic nation-building perspective, such a highway will significantly reduce travel times and will also unlock serious opportunities for our interior communities who have been constrained by the set-up of national infrastructure network.

He adds the highway will be built section by section, creating jobs all along the way and, once completed, it will be Fiji’s first-ever toll road, bridging the West to Suva creating far greater social mobility and a huge opportunity for commercial, industrial and tourism expansion throughout Viti Levu’s interior.

The Fiji Roads Authority has been allocated $376.7 million in the National Budget of which $362.9 million is for capital works programme.

He says over the next five years, the FRA is undertaking a capital works programme valued at $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, $115.1 million has been allocated for capital investment to improve and expand Fiji’s water distribution network and wastewater management systems.

Sayed-Khaiyum says these networks need to become more reliable, resilient, and capable of serving a nation on the move.

WAF provides services to some 772,000 Fijians nationwide and currently has 154,383 water and 33,190 wastewater active connections.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the new Rewa River Water Supply Scheme Project will now be completed in May of 2023 and this project will end water woes in the Lami-Nausori corridor through an additional 40 million litres worth of water per day for the benefit of over 360,000 Fijians.

The total allocation for WAF is $204.3 million.

The Department of Energy has been allocated $4.0 million to install stand-alone solar home systems in 1,000 homes in remote communities that do not have access to the main EFL grid.

The government will double the number of scholarships to 1,200 and the eligibility criteria will be published by TSLS in the Fijian Scholarship Scheme regulations.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has announced that the number of awards under the National Toppers Local Scheme will increase from 547 to 770, with 40 awards for MBBS, 5 for Bachelor of Dental Surgery and 40 for nursing.

The scholarship cut-off mark for nursing will be 300 for Year 13.

The government will allocate 165 scholarships for teacher training in Maths and Physics, Industrial Arts, Primary Education and Computer Science.

Scholarships for students with special needs will remain at 20, based on past uptake records.

The government will also reinstate the National Toppers Overseas Scheme which was suspended due to border closures. The scheme was previously allocated 20 awards; however, for the next financial year Government will double it to 40 awards, of which 30 will be for degree programmes, 5 for in-service public sector workers and 5 for TVET qualifications.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they will for the first time allocate 10 Ph.D. and 20 Masters-by-research scholarships for full-time studies.

The 3 Masters awards will be ring-fenced for Monash University-Fiji National University Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Research Centre.

The areas will be limited to Medicine, Health, Science, Engineering, Climate Change/Environmental Science, Marine Science, Forestry, Public Policy, Public Financing, Economic Modelling and ICT.

Sayed-Khaiyum also says the government will introduce 200 awards under a rebranded “Skills Qualification” scholarship scheme (previously TVET) at Fiji National University.

The cut-off mark for this scheme will be 250 for Year 13 and 270 for Year 12.

The number of In-Service awards will increase from 120 to 140, of which 100 will be for public sector organisations and 40 for private sector and state owned enterprises.

In addition, 200 grants will be awarded for micro qualifications to develop construction skills, inclusive of a $100 monthly industrial attachment allowance.

The cut-off mark for TELS for Higher Education/Level 7 programmes will remain at 250.

For commerce, the cut-off mark will be 280, except for accounting, economics and management or administration, where the cut-off mark will be 300.

For Skills Qualifications at FNU, the eligibility will be a pass in Year 12, Certificate I or II from Fiji Higher Education Commission recognized institutions or offer letter obtained from FNU.

The government will allocate 2,800 TELS awards for level 7 programmes.

Within this, nursing will have 200 awards, and the allocations for teacher training, ICT, environmental and marine science disciplines will increase. Skills Qualifications from levels 3, 4 and 5 at FNU will have 4,600 allocations.

In total, the government will allocate 8,000 student loans and the criteria will be published by TSLS.

A total of 9,200 scholarships and loans will be awarded in the 2022/2023 financial year with a total allocation of $162.6 million.

The government is allocating $6.9 million for sports grants that will support the development of sports activities in our communities.

$1.9 million has been allocated to assist and enhance the performance of Fiji’s national teams through participation at regional and international tournaments.

Funding in the new financial year has been prioritised for athletics, rugby union, netball, basketball, cricket, hockey and weightlifting.

$79,500 has been allocated to support overseas training for elite athletes and technical officials with funding been prioritised for rugby league, swimming, tennis and yachting.

Regional and international tournaments are a huge source of economic activity for Fiji. Investments in bringing these events to Fiji pay back massive returns. $2 million has been allocated to support the Hosting of International Tournaments.

In addition to this, $500,000 has been allocated to assist Lautoka City Council with grandstand lighting to ensure the Drua games can be played at night.

The Fiji National Sports Commission aims to host the following national sporting events: Australian Football League Fiji, Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Football Association, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Squash, Tennis and Yachting.

A $1.6 million allocation will ensure that promising elite athletes are exposed to intense high-level training required to participate at renowned competitions in order to better improve the country’s ranking at world events. The funding will directly support the engagement of sports coaches in Football, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union and Yachting.

$500,000 in funding will assist the Fiji National Sports Commission to develop sports programmes in rural communities to hone basic skills in a range of sports and identify clear career pathways for young people. Funding will cater for the following: sports community camp programme, train the trainer programme, educate the educator, children in community sports, inclusive sports programme and wellness sports programme.

$200,000 has been provided for the engagement of local and international experts to assist in sports development in the country. The programme aims to support the training and development of local athletes and sports administrators to international standards in several sports for men and women.

The government continues to ensure inclusivity and equality by supporting sports, physical activities and development for people with disabilities and special needs. The funding provision of $60,000 in the new financial year will cater for the Paralympics, Special Olympics and special schools.

In the 2022-2023 financial year, funding of $654,466 has been allocated to support the growth of minor sporting activities, including volleyball, netball, badminton and futsal.

Funding has been allocated to support the construction of two hard courts in Kamikamica Park, Lautoka and Tataiya, Rakiraki; and the construction of two multi-purpose courts in Tuatua Housing, Labasa and Vunidawa, Naitasiri.

Fiji Airways has been selected for a management contract to run the operations of Fiji Airports Limited.

This has been announced by Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in the 2022/2023 National Budget.

Fiji Airways Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Andre Viljoen says having management oversight at Fiji Airports will enhance a number of existing synergies between the two companies.

Viljoen says they have had a strong working relationship with Fiji Airports for many years and this management agreement will elevate services to the next level.

He also says COVID-19 has highlighted the need for a new approach to managing Fiji’s airport infrastructure and ensuring its fighting fit for what lies ahead.

Viljoen assures people that as part of this new arrangement, the governance, staff contracts and agreements at Fiji Airports will be unaffected.

Fiji Airports Limited will also retain its current board of directors, and maintain its same responsibilities – including a return to its shareholders.

He says there cannot be a ‘disconnect’ between airlines and airports, and now, more than ever, they need these two companies to be in lockstep, working together to ensure that every airline, every visitor, returning Fijian, freight shipper and inter-island traveller sees the very best of our country represented at our airports.

Fiji Airways will also ensure that potential revenue streams at Fiji Airports are fully realized.

Viljoen says much of the work undertaken by Fiji Airports is technically complex and creating more of these skilled roles is important as it has multiplier effects on the economy.

This new direction will ensure that infrastructure improvements are made across the group with new facilities to enhance the traveller experience to be built at outer island airports (Savusavu, Taveuni, Labasa), Suva Nausori and Nadi International Airport in the coming years.

Meanwhile Fiji Airports Board Chair, Hasmukh Patel has welcomed Fiji Airways onboard, saying the company brings with it decades of experience in the aviation sector and a keen eye for service excellence.

He says with better collaboration between stakeholders and Fiji Airports, a clearly defined and approved master plan can be created for airport expansion and improvement. This master plan, will ensure the planning of timely and cost-effective investments meet the demands of air traffic capacity growth.

Patel says the master plan should also identify improvements in non-aeronautical services, for instance, commercial and auxiliary activities such as rent from airport retail space, revenue from car parking and fees from property leases.

Patel has also assured that current staffing arrangements, and collective agreements at Fiji Airports will not change as a result of Fiji Airways now managing operations.

Students in 84 unconnected or poorly connected schools are expected to get better internet accessibly as $2.5 million has been allocated to connect these schools to the internet.

While announcing the 2022/2023 National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the Ministry of Communications will continue to provide internet connectivity to the unconnected Fijians through the Connectivity Rollout program.

He says last November, they connected 26 schools and 14 health centres in the Northern Division and out of these 40 sites, 26 have Wi-Fi hotspots that provide connectivity for the 17,000 Fijians in the surrounding community.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they had further identified 59 unconnected and poorly connected schools nationwide of which, in the last two months, they have connected 9 schools already which include Navonu Primary School, Eliki Memorial School, Nairukuruku District School, Rewa District School, Saqani High School; Ratu Varani Memorial School, Gau Secondary School; Cautata District School, Muaira Methodist College and Cicia High School in Lau will be connected by the end of this month.

He says $2.5 million has been allocated to connect an additional 49 schools around Fiji and the remaining 35 schools will be connected in the 2023-2024 financial year.

The Minister also says in consultation with the telecommunications sector, an assessment has identified 240 unconnected and poorly connected sites and these sites have been gazetted as universal service areas for mobile connectivity which will be implemented in phases and as such, 15 tower sites have been identified under the Universal Service Areas project to connect at least 96 unconnected or poorly connected areas to voice and internet connectivity.

He says tender was advertised earlier this week and while this is being finalised, they anticipate an estimated cost of $11 million for the construction of these towers.

The Minister says this will be funded from the Universal Service Fund and the Telecommunications Development Trust Fund.

He says $1 million is allocated to the Ministry to conduct a feasibility study and develop implementation plans to build a submarine cable landing station in the western side of Viti Levu.

He says the Vatuwaqa cable landing station provides over 80 percent of international connectivity for Fiji and if it ever fails, they will lose connectivity to most of the country.

The Minister further says in this financial year, they will engage a consultant to undertake a feasibility study, conduct Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, develop implementation plans and engage a project management consultant to oversee this important initiative.

The Ministry has been allocated $53.8 million in the 2022-2023 Budget compared to $54.6 million in the last financial year.

Steps will be taken to house more civil servants through the construction of strata title housing quarters that will be available exclusively to civil servants and their families.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says they will start by making the first crop of units available to the Fiji Police Force.

He says over the long term, this will ensure that civil servants can affordably own homes and alleviate pressure on the wider housing market.

This will be done through private investors who will construct and operate strata title housing quarters.

$95,000 has been allocated for National Housing Policy Implementation Plan.

Funding has also been provided in the National Budget to acquire two more development leases for Valemasima in Votualevu, Nadi and Sakoca Stage 2 and after acquisition, these leases will be placed into the informal settlement upgrade work plan.

Sayed-Khaiyum says to date, this government has acquired a total of 42 development leases to safeguard low-income families and also ensure that land owning units are adequately compensated with premium and annual rental payments that are funded directly by the government.

He says of the 42 existing development leases, 12 are currently in the tender stage for the engagement of a contractor and six are currently in the engineering phase.

The Ministry of Housing and Community Development has been provided an allocation of $9.8 million to run the informal settlement upgrade and formalisation programme in the 2022-2023 financial year.

$1.9 million has been allocated to reimburse the remaining 318 victims of the Pacific Community Network Housing scam.

The Ministry has also been provided $1 million to implement the revised Social Housing Policy, with successful applicants eligible for a maximum grant of $10,000 for the purchase and transportation of building materials.

The Ministry has also received $2.1 million to provide shelter to 105 more families in desperate need of safe accommodation under Koroipita Stage 4 program.

He says they are also providing funding in the next financial year to break ground on a new Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services Warehouse, the subdivision construction works for Sasawira informal settlement, the design and building of the existing dormitory and Ratu Kadavulevu School, the upgrading of the Savusavu Market, the rehabilitation and construction of schools in Kadavu and Southern Lau, and the design and building of the Nabouwalu Passenger Terminal.

A budget of $100,000 has been allocated to support vulnerable women and men that are psychologically challenged and are forced to be on the streets due to unacceptance back into their community or families.

The new initiatives for the Department of Social Welfare includes grants to organizations assisting psycho-social and street dwellers.

$147.7 million has been provided to the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation to run programmes that can create an inclusive social safety net for Fiji’s most vulnerable groups.

The government will continue funding for programmes which include Poverty Benefit Scheme, Child Protection Allowance, Food Voucher Program, Social Pension Scheme, Disabilities Scheme and Bus Fare Subsidy.

The Ministry will also be establishing the Department of Children that will specialise in services that are in-line with legislative commitments. The Department has the statutory responsibility to ensure the safety and protection of the children of Fiji, including those under the care of the State. $100,000 has been allocated to commence the establishment process.

According to the government, the Poverty Monitoring Unit will continue to monitor and report on Poverty Alleviation programmes implemented by respective government agencies and is tasked to review and develop a 5-year Integrated National Poverty Alleviation Programme Framework. $625,800 has been allocated to the unit.

The National Women’s Expo programme will also be re-introduced at divisional level and has been allocated $300,000.

The government will also amend the Illicit Drugs Control Act to start the industrial hemp industry in the country.

The Minister for Economy stresses that industrial hemp is not marijuana as the THC level is much lower.

The THC level has to be lower than 1 percent.

These will be imported and then seeds will be provided to farmers to start planting industrial hemp.

With an effort to assist farmers recover, $250,000 has been allocated for SELF for large livestock commercial farmers.

Para vets will work with farmers where this is for those who have completed vet science programme.

$323,050 has also been allocated for Yaqara Pastoral. $1.2 million allocated to Food Processors Limited.

The government will also outsource land clearing and farm mechanisation services to private contractors to boost farmer access to land cultivation machinery. The Ministry of Agriculture will receive $7 million in FY2022-2023 for this initiative.

An allocation of $400,000 will be provided for the yaqona farming programme, $600,000 for ginger farming, $200,000 for dalo farming, and $350,000 for rice farming.

The Women in Agriculture programme will receive an allocation of $300,000, and a further $300,000 will be provided to improve farm access roads.

Fiji Rice Limited will also receive a capital grant of $1.3 million.

The Ministry of Agriculture has a slight decrease to their 2022-2023 budget of $64.1 million compared to $61 million in the last financial year.

Considering current challenges faced by farmers in securing machines for land preparation and the drive to cultivate more land for agriculture, engagement of private contractors will be considered to boost this activity.

This initiative will support outsourcing of land clearing and farm mechanisation services, as a way forward in accelerating transition to fully mechanising the sector and addressing recurring obstacles such as establishment of farm access road, ensure easy market access, establishment of large scale farms - orchards etc.

The government has also realised the impact of increasing costs of doing business by farmers and has provided the much needed support with the increase in copra price support to $1,350 per tonne and $400 per tonne to producers and millers respectively.

The Fiji Police Force is allocated $182.6 million seeing a slight reduction of $3.2 million from the Revised 2021-2022 Budget.

The reduction results from the near completion of three new Police Stations, in Nadi, Nakasi and Lautoka.

The three stations plus the new station at Nalawa, will be allocated a total budget provision of $10 million, a reduction of $14.5 million.

An additional $4.2 million is provided for the recruitment of 331 new positions.

The Force is increasingly focused on preventing cybercrimes and combating drug trafficking. In order to reform itself to better address these emerging threats, the force is undergoing a major reform and restructure programme, first announced in 2018.

The Force will now continue with Phase 3 of their five-year reform and restructure programme, which was endorsed by Cabinet in 2018.

The programme was halted for the past two years due to COVID-19 and after Phases 1 and 2 were completed at a cost of $68.3 million.

This includes 289 new recruits, 15 promotions, 7 new civilian positions and 20 new government wage earners.

Government will also be providing $4.9 million for the procurement of Uniforms, Uniforms accessories, Clothing and footwear.

An initial allocation of $1.5 million was provided for improving the condition of the police quarters and posts.

The Force is also allocated $1.2 million to assist the Fijian Elections Office to conduct the 2022 General Elections.

Meanhile, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces total budget for the 2022-2023 financial year is $94.1 million seeing an increase of $8.0 million from the Revised 2021-2022 Budget.

$3.5 million has been allocated to meet salaries and allowances of the peacekeeping officers as aligned to the payroll.

$5 million is allocated to correctly align the lodging allowance and service allowance to the current basic salary of 2,396 RFMF officers. At the moment, these officers are being paid allowances based on their 2013 basic pay.

$400,000 is also provided for the Remote Location Allowance for engineers who are engaged to build and maintain rural projects such as Rotuma hospital, Kadavu foot bridge, Lakeba suspension bridge and Bua Lomanikoro foot bridge.

$2.3 million is allocated for the renovation and upgrade works at RFMF facilities, including renovation and upgrade of RFMF infrastructure, construction of a new warehouse at QEB, upgrade of the Logistic Support Unit Complex, upgrade of Sukanaivalu Barracks in Labasa and the upgrade of Nadi Camp.

A total of $50.8 million for Peacekeeping Operations, which is an increase of $5.5 million from the Revised 2021-2022 Budget.

The officers deployed for peacekeeping operations were also paid allowances based on their 2013 basic pay rate, and $800,000 is provided to realign the Lodging and Service allowance for 543 peacekeeping officers on the current pay.

Additionally, $3 million has been allocated for military training and equipment, which will be reimbursed by the United Nations.

The Valelevu shuttle bus pilot program is expected to cater for around 13 routes by the end of this year.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the program will serve the Greater Nasinu area, the most densely populated area of the country, including the areas between RB Centrepoint to Davuilevu and Nakasi.

He says they will have electric shuttle buses running on these routes which will represent the first electric public transportation fleet in Fiji.

Sayes-Khaiyum adds aside from making travel cleaner and more convenient, they represent an ambitious and important step towards decarbonising the economy.

The programme will cost the Government around $4 million.

People can expect better facilities at the Savusavu and Labasa Hospitals and at the CWM Hospital Maternity Ward as the Government has allocated $7.2 million for upgrade, refurbishment and construction works in the 2022/2023 National Budget.

While announcing the National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the Savusavu Hospital facility has been plagued by severe weather, and heavy rains combined with insufficient drainage have resulted in its rapid deterioration.

He says $2 million will go towards engaging a contractor to begin the much-needed and frankly long-awaited refurbishment and land stabilisation works at the Savusavu hospital.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this is great news for residents and for the future of Savusavu’s local economy as major investments in the area are putting our hidden paradise on the map and quality and reliable healthcare is a pillar of Savusavu’s sustainable tourism development.

The Minister says $5.2 million will go towards the construction of the CWM Hospital Maternity Ward and the upgrade of the Labasa Hospital interior works.

He says the Ministry will be completing the tender stage to engage a suitable contractor to initiate the planned capital works.

The Minister adds this is good news for the North and for expectant mothers and families in the Central Division. An allocation of $120,000 for the final instalment has been budgeted for to make the final payment on the brand new Hyperbaric Chamber at CWM.

$1 million has been allocated for the outsourcing of biomedical facilities like x-ray machines, MRI scan machines, ultrasound machines and CT scanners including public health system laboratories and to be maintained and operated 24/7 by the private sector in public hospitals.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has been allocated $395.1 million in the 2022/2023 Budget compared to $403.3million in the last finical year.

The Job Evaluation and Civil Service Remuneration Guideline will be amended to expand the definition of scarce skills to facilitate the inclusion of the payment of retention allowance for skill sets that exist in competitive markets for high performing civil servants.

Work on this will be finalised soon and subsequently announced.

The suspension of the payment of Maritime Location Allowance was lifted while a review of Rural Allowances was to be undertaken.

The review has since been completed and from 1 August 2022, Rural Allowances will be reinstated for eligible civil servants at standardised rates across Ministries and Departments.

From 1st August 2022, school based teaching staff will be allowed three days of annual personal leave with the approval of their Heads of Schools and/or the Divisional Education Offices.

To align to international best practice, the amount of annual leave that can be carried into a new leave year within a valid contract period will raise from 10 to 12 days; depending on the operational context of the Department or Ministry, flexi hours may be considered by the respective Permanent Secrataries. With the government recognizing the high demand for nurses overseas especially in Australia and New Zealand which was evident by the high turnover experienced by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Ministry of Health will work with the Fiji Nursing Council to identify additional specialised areas of nursing to allow the Ministry to remunerate these specialisations accordingly.

The payment of transport allowance will be prioritised for those in public health care nursing in rural areas.

Midwives have been a scarce skill in Fiji for some time with the government investing in higher salaries and increase training opportunities to ensure we have enough midwives in the country. Degree level teaching positions have been evaluated at Band F, similar to other positions across the civil service.

From 1st August 2022, teachers who are eligible to be on Band F, will transition to Step 3 of Band F. This will also apply to newer graduates with relevant qualifications. This is to allow for some consistency in the pay of teachers.

Teachers on Bands D & E on shorter term contracts will be provided with five-year contracts to allow them time to upgrade their qualifications so they can move up to higher bands and earn themselves a pay rise.

A new Customer Service Guideline was approved and circulated to all Ministries and Departments earlier this month for implementation.

As part of the implementation, a customer service has been launched with a feedback line.

The 157 toll-free number now allows anyone in Fiji to provide feedback or submit a complaint related to customer services they have received at any government ministry or department and will also serve as a feedback loop that will contribute to the performance assessments of staff, and of the respective Ministries and Departments. The feedback received on the toll-free number will inform an announcement next year of the Top 5 service-driven ministries and departments.

Meanwhile the government will be restoring the ten percent pay cut that was asked of all the Permanent Secretaries throughout the pandemic and any voluntary pay cuts taken by the Heads of government funded agencies from 1 August 2022.

Ministers, Assistant Ministers, and MPs will remain on 25 percent reduced pay.

An additional 23 General Practitioners have been included in the Free GP Scheme that will see more Fijians get access to free health services.

While announcing the 2022-2023 National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says there will now be 38 private General Practitioners in 40 outlets, providing medical services to ordinary Fijians, with all costs borne by the Government.

He says the General Practitioners have been selected in Korovou, Nausori, Nakasi, Nadera, Suva, Navua, Sigatoka, Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, Tavua, Labasa and Savusavu.

The government-funded medical services on offer at these clinics include consultations, reviews, referrals, injections, and dressings, including minor dressings, multi-urine dipstick, Electrocardiogram (ECG), nebulizer, oxygen supply, ultrasound scan, and the sugar prick test. Approved laboratory testing services under the scheme will provide testing for sugar levels, cComplete blood count, basic metabolic panel, cholesterol level, clycated haemoglobin, liver function; and renal function.

He further says another $200,000 has been allocated to incentivise Private General Practitioners to establish new clinics in densely populated peri-urban and rural areas, including Nawaicoba, Malolo, Naidovi, Drasa, Sabeto, Seaqaqa, Dreketi, Nasarawaqa, Korolevu and Pacific Harbour.

$1 million is allocated for the Free GP Scheme in the 2022-2023 Budget.

Meanwhile, there are currently four Dental Practitioners under the scheme who provide consultation or oral examination, extraction, temporary filling, and permanent filling and $500,000 has been allocated for the Private Dental Practitioners Scheme in the national budget.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this partnership eases the burden on public medical facilities and is initiative is also an opportunity for dentists to grow their patient base and support the public health system in providing the necessary medical care to Fijians.

He says they will also broaden the availability of medical and dental services by allowing medical and dental practitioners engaged under the Public Private Partnership Scheme to prescribe, supply and dispense essential medicines for a 24-hour period, as approved by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services.

He says this is a means to grant flexibility to patients, not upend the pharmaceutical sector and prescriptions at the clinic level will only be permitted when the nearest pharmacy is closed, otherwise these operators will be fined.

The medicines that the medical practitioners will be able to supply and dispense includes amoxicillin capsules, flucloxacillin capsules, ibuprofen tablets, paracetamol oral rehydration salt, and the medicines that the dental practitioners under the PPP Scheme will be able to supply and dispense include ibuprofen tablets and paracetamol.

Click here for indepth coverage on the 2022/2023 National Budget.

National Federation Party President Pio Tikoduadua says they do not think that the freebies announced in the 2022/2023 National Budget will change the mindset of the people of Fiji.

Speaking after the announcement of the 2022/2023 National Budget, Tikoduadua says people understand what the reality is on the ground but they will go back and really scrutinize the budget.

Tikoduadua says the budget has a lot of freebies.

He adds a lot of people are still suffering from COVID-19 and now with the high cost of living, he questions the Government as to how the assistance will be rolled out.

The NFP President says time will tell if this budget will assist vulnerable Fijians.

SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka says we are definitely heading to elections any day now and it is very much a budget that is preparing the way forward for the government to start campaigning.

Gavoka says the government has adopted some of their policies as there are a number of items like education in the delivered budget that he claims to have originated from SODELPA.

Gavoka says they will spend the weekend studying the budget closely.