National budget was a political gimmick under the FijiFirst Govt – Prof.Prasad

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says they are funding new ministries under the Financial Management Act after identifying all the wastage, where the expenditure was not done or disbursed, and then redeploying funds in an efficient manner.

Professor Prasad made the comments after the Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu raised questions on how the funds have been deployed.

Professor Prasad also says the previous government was making announcements in the National Budget when some allocations had no money.

He says for about 8 years, the allocation for the agriculture budget was $603 million but what the FijiFirst Government actually spent in that 8 years was $400 million.

Professor Prasad says the national budget was a political gimmick.