Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says some of the key initiatives for the 2023/2024 National Budget are VAT to be made simpler than before and the total government expenditure to remain at a manageable level.
While delivering his State of the Nation address, Rabuka says infrastructure spending will be managed with greater diligence and the Capital to Operating Expenditure Ratio will be maintained at 30:70, rural roads will be upgraded so that rural economy and agriculture performance can be improved, social welfare benefits for aged citizens will be increased to cushion the rising cost of living and meet the needs of recipients, health expenditure will be increased so that the healthcare services and facilities can be improved, the education sector remains government’s priority so their expenditure commitment will be retained; and allocation for skills training will be improved significantly to fill the gaps that exist due to migration of our workers.
The Prime Minister says as the current debt burden is extremely high at 85% of GDP, government revenue collection must be more robust.
Rabuka says the revenue policy reforms will be guided by principles of fairness, simplicity and revenue-adequacy. He says the Coalition Government is also changing the way it does business with regard to revenue collection for the nation.
The Prime Minister says they are committed to transparency and genuine consultation with businesses and taxpayers.
He says they want to make it easy for all citizens to pay their fair share of taxes.
Rabuka says these changes will be reflected in the new plan for the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, and the new compliance improvement strategy.
He says they will also make the best use of technology and analytical tools to enable compliance with tax laws.
The Prime Minister stresses we must all play our part as citizens, and patriots to rebuild our nation, for improved health, education, infrastructure, including other essential services that have deteriorated over the years.
Rabuka has hinted that a key example of this in the Budget is that the taxation system will be instrumental in addressing the crisis caused by non-communicable diseases which is killing thousands of people every year, more than any other disease.
Policies will be implemented to reduce the intake of junk food and increase domestic and organic food production which will in turn improve the wellbeing of our people.
He says he is confident that they have clearly heard people’s views through budget consultations, the National Economic Summit and the work of the Fiscal Review Committee in identifying issues of national priorities that must be addressed with urgency.
Rabuka also says most importantly, the tax system offers extremely attractive incentives and customs concessions to support the growth and diversification of our economy.
These incentives will target key growth sectors including new tax-free zones so that the whole of Fiji can prosper and grow. He says the priorities must change to achieve better productive outcomes with minimum social cost.
The Prime Minister also made it clear that the economy needs to switch from being consumption-driven to production to ensure private sector growth and development.
He pleads for the understanding of the citizens of the country as the primary objective of the Budget is to address the problems and challenges we face as a nation.
Rabuka says it is not their intention, but this Budget may bring pain to some of you and your families.
He says in our journey together we must be guided by the vision of our founding fathers and the basic values of our parents and ancestors, that is, kindness, mutual respect, and unity.
Rabuka says these values will take our nation a long way into the future where we seek happiness, unity, freedom and prosperity.
He says these basic human values will provide us the spirit and the will to persevere to rebuild our nation together.
Rabuka also says last weekend some 800 volunteers turned up to continue with the cleaning up and rehabilitation of the CWM Hospital and the Rotarians were also at Lautoka Hospital for the same purpose.
He says all these helpers are patriots dedicated to the good of our nation.
Rabuka says they are nation builders and he salutes them.
He also says you can do your part to rebuild Fiji by joining the ranks of those who go out of their way to assist the poor and the needy.
He says a basket of groceries means a lot to someone who is destitute or homeless.
The Prime Minister says they also intend to bring back municipal elections.
He says offering yourself as a candidate would be part of the remaking of Fiji and serving your locality.
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says this will be the first budget of the Coalition Government and it won’t be “business as usual.”
While delivering his State of the Nation address, Rabuka says the 2023-2024 National Budget has been prepared to consolidate government finances; minimise wastage; address the high debt level; allocate resources to priority sectors; and to allow people to have access to basic services.
He says in this context, he would like to assure the nation that the 2023-2024 budget will be balanced and restrained, while still delivering core services, investing in health, skills development and improve our infrastructure.
Rabuka stresses the budget will be people-centred, and adjustments will be made to ensure sustainable economic growth in the short and medium term.
He says inclusiveness will be given priority to ensure fiscal sustainability, at the same time, ensuring a fair distribution of wealth.
The Prime Minister says extensive consultations were undertaken, and the budget was formulated in the spirit of priorities identified in the fiscal framework endorsed by Cabinet earlier this year.
He stresses that some hard decisions are needed to shift away from the “business as usual” attitude.
Rabuka says this means, the fiscal strategy covering the period 2023 to 2026 is a critical one, where urgent steps need to be taken to address the high public debt situation.
He says one of the prime objectives of the fiscal strategy is to bring back fiscal discipline.
This means cutting wastage to return to fiscal sustainability.
Rabuka says while taking a balanced approach, they also must find ways to increase our revenue collection, and this may mean pain for people.
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says plans are in place to visit Australia, China, the United States and other friendly nations after he has had two state visits in Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
While delivering his National Address, Rabuka says the main purpose of his travel is to build trust and restore regional solidarity, strengthen bilateral relations and enhance Fiji’s standing in both regional and international arena.
He says as Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change, he travelled to Panama to join world leaders so that we can work together in addressing the biggest challenge of our time, which is Climate Change.
He adds the meeting in Panama was organised to consolidate international cooperation for the preservation of our oceanic resources.
The Prime Minister says the continued survival and sovereignty of our small island states in the Pacific is at risk and this requires our attention, not only at the regional, but also at the international level.
He says these are tasks that cannot be achieved in isolation and Fiji must work with other nations for effective solutions.
He further says adaptation strategies are based on advanced science and technologies that we can only access through international cooperation.
Rabuka adds we must also share our indigenous knowledge and wisdom in the area of climate mitigation and adaptation.
He further adds that most importantly, international cooperation is necessary to access climate change financing.
The Prime Minister says his first state visit to Papua New Guinea last month also coincided with a meeting of the Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC) and US-Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ dialogue, both held in Port Moresby.
He says these important meetings are part and parcel of Fiji’s commitment to the regional Development and Security agenda.
During Rabuka’s state visit to New Zealand earlier this month,he met with Prime Minister Hipkins and a number of government dignitaries, as well as the Fijian diaspora in Auckland and Wellington.
He saus through the Duavata Partnership Agreement with New Zealand, we have deepened our bilateral partnership.
He says we have expanded areas of cooperation, including trade and investment, labour mobility, defence, climate change, humanitarian relief and disaster response.
NZ Prime Minister Hipkins also announced additional funding of NZD$11.1m (FJD $15.1m) for climate adaptation and mitigation programs including renewable energy and infrastructure resilience projects.
This is in addition to the ongoing direct budget support and official development assistance that the New Zealand Government provides Fiji.
Rabuka says that earlier this year, the Australian Prime Minister Albanese briefly stopped over in Nadi where they met at the Blackrock Facility.
In addition to the AUD$354m (FJD$542m) in direct budget assistance to Fiji since 2020 to assist Fijians through the pandemic, PM Albanese announced an additional AUD$81m in direct budget support. This is in addition to the AUD$132m (FJD$197m) in official development assistance to Fiji.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the coalition government is determined to improve the living standards of our people, but there are grave challenges confronting us.
While delivering the State of the Nation address ahead of the 2022-2023 National Budget announcement this Friday, Rabuka says these challenges include the debt burden, economic constraints and structural challenges that will take time to resolve.
He says the reality of Fiji’s fiscal crisis demands that we “bite the bullet and take the bull by the horn.”
Rabuka says we know that we will continue to face greater turbulence in the near future.
He says the economic headwinds will now intensify due to ongoing conflict in Europe, geopolitical rivalry and global uncertainty.
The Prime Minister says trust and support of the people are critical to the government’s efforts to resolve the challenges.
Rabuka says at the beginning of 2020, just three years ago, the pandemic disrupted our lives and many lost their lives and livelihoods.
He says our people faced tremendous hardship due to border closures and travel restriction and no one was spared.
Rabuka says that period is one of the darkest moments in living history.
He says the tourism industry was the most affected and more than 120,000 people lost their jobs as a result and thousands of small businesses closed-down.
He says some remain closed to this day.
Rabuka has paid tribute to those who have worked tirelessly to get the industry back on its feet.
He says the last government had played an important role in its management of the crisis.
The Prime Minister further says effects of climate change include more frequent and severe natural disasters.
Rabuka says we have seen this since 2016 and this will continue to disrupt our lives.
He says we, in the Pacific are the most vulnerable and therefore, we will bear the full brunt of climate change in times to come.
Rabuka says today, the world is facing many more new challenges.
He says the war in Ukraine is causing uncertainty and global geopolitical rivalry is playing out visibly in the Pacific and as a nation, we are facing these challenges simultaneously.
Rabuka says together, we have worked hard to restore confidence and uphold the trust of our people, including our Pacific family.
He says since their first day in government, they have worked tirelessly to improve relationships with the government’s development partners.
The Prime Minister says while their political rivals with their rhetoric is that the coalition government is too slow, he says he is proud to say their achievements over the past six months have been progressive.
Rabuka says some may consider these achievements as minor but he firmly believes they are significant in building the foundation for the nation to progress as a truly democratic nation.
He says these achievements include legislative reforms, review of public holidays to truly reflect our multicultural and multiracial society, reinstatement of the Great Council of Chiefs in recognition of their role in nation building and to ensure unity of our people, convening of the National Economic Summit after 15 years, civil service reforms - raising Retirement Age from 55 to 60 years and removal of contract-based appointments in the Civil Service, review of National Security Infrastructure and the establishment of an Education Commission and the Fiji Law Reform Commission.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is calling upon their friends in the Opposition to join them in their collective effort to move our nation forward.
While delivering the State of the Nation address ahead of the 2022-2023 National Budget announcement this Friday, Rabuka says they can take a bipartisan approach in the collective effort to rebuild the nation economically, socially and spiritually.
He says their collective hope and resilience lie in their shared destiny and common heritage.
Rabuka says there is no doubt, that we are going through a period of great disruption, unpredictability and global uncertainty.
He says despite these challenges, they are determined to persevere and navigate their way through geopolitical shocks and shifts caused by factors beyond their control in rebuilding the nation together.
The Prime Minister says the escalating tensions in the Taiwan strait; the war in Ukraine; the technology gap; and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to pose risks in their effort in rebuilding the nation.
He says our economy is troubled, but it is our duty to rebuild our nation together; and together we can and we will.
The Prime Minister says no other government since independence has been faced with the kind of circumstances confronting Fiji and her people today.
He says the challenges, the difficulties and dangers are numerous. Rabuka says we must manage the current unsustainable debt level, the largest Fiji has ever had since independence.
He says we must address a host of serious social and economic issues impacting virtually every aspect of our national life.
The Prime Minister says together, we can collectively address these challenges, but the government will need “all hands-on deck” in navigating a way out of these challenges.
Rabuka stresses that means all of us, not just the government, not just the business sector, but all our citizens must work together.
He further says while we continue to move forward in hope, we must use the opportunity to write a new chapter in the national development effort, after years of mistrust, lack of confidence and disunity.
Rabuka says we must return to basic human values that our parents and ancestors taught us - values like kindness, respect, hard-work and unity.
The Prime Minister adds our progress and prosperity as a nation, crucially depends on unity, mutual cooperation and understanding.
We promised you that we would restore freedom, but the work of transforming our nation for the better is an ongoing challenge that we are determined to fulfill.
This has been highlighted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in his State of the Nation address ahead of the 2022-2023 National Budget announcement this Friday.
Rabuka says the coalition government is determined to be defined by three words: freedom, unity and progress in rebuilding Fiji together.
The Prime Minister says their hope and collective effort have helped attain freedom.
He says last month, the Coalition partners assessed their progress as a Government and the implementation of the Coalition Agreement.
The Prime Minister says they have all been assured after that meeting, that this is a government determined and committed to serve the people, as they had promised.
Rabuka says he is confident, that together, they will deliver their commitments to the people of Fiji.
He adds after sixteen years, our new-found freedom has made us impatiently optimistic about the challenges and opportunities before us.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
