Latest news with #BimanPrasad
RNZ News
29-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Fijian government unveils US$2b budget as deficit widens
Biman Prasad says that his government has guided the country to a better economic position than where he found it. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Kelvin Anthony The Fijian government is spending big on this year's budget. The country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad unveiled a FJ$4.8 billion (approx. US$2b) spending package, complete with cost of living measures and fiscal stimulus, to the Fijian parliament this morning on Friday. It's around $280 million (approx. US$124m) more than last year, with the deficit widening to around $886m (approximately US$393m). Prasad told the parliament that his government has guided the country to a better economic position than where he found it. "When we came into office we were in a precarious economic first priority was to restore macroeconomic stability, rebuild trust in policymaking institutions, and chart a path towards sustainable and inclusive growth." The 2025/2026 budget consisted of a spending increase across almost every area, with education, the largest area of spending, up FJ$69m to FJ$847m overall. The health sector received FJ$611.6m, the Fijian Roads Authority $388m, and the Police force FJ$240.3m, all increases. A package of cost of living measures costing the government $800m has also been announced. This includes a value-added tax (VAT) cut from 15 percent to 12.5 percent on goods and services. Various import duties, which firms pay for goods from overseas, have been cut, such as a chicken pieces and parts (from 42 to 15 percent) and frozen fish (from 15 to 0 percent). A subsidy to reduce bus fares by 10 percent was announced, alongside a 3 percent increase in salaries for civil servants, both beginning in August. In a new conference, Prasad said that responding to difficult global economic shocks was the primary rationale behind the budget. "This is probably one of the most uncertain global economic environments that we have gone through. There has been no resolution on the tariffs by the United States and the number of countries, big or small." "We have never had this kind of interest in Fiji from overseas investors or diaspora, and we are doing a lot more work to get our diaspora to come back." When asked why the VAT was cut, reducing government revenue and widening the deficit, Prasad said there is a need to encourage consumer spending. "If the Middle East crisis deepens and oil prices go up, the first thing that will be affected will be the supply could go up, people could be affected more." On building resilience from global shocks, Prasad said the budget will reduce Fiji's reliance on tourism, remittances, and international supply chains, by building domestic industry. "It kills two birds in one [stone]. It addresses any big shock we might get... plus it also helps the people who would be affected." In their Pacific Economic Update, the World Bank projected economic growth of 2.6 percent in 2025, after a slump from 7.5 percent in 2023 to 3.8 percent in 2024. Senior World Bank economist Ekaterine Vashakmadze told RNZ that Fiji is an interesting case. "Fiji is one of the countries that suffered the sharpest shock (post-Covid)... because tourism stopped." "On the other hand, Fiji was one of the first countries in the Pacific to recover fully in terms of the output to pre-pandemic level." Opposition members have hit out at the government over the scale of the spend, and whether it will translate into outcomes. Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj, in a statement to local media outlet Duavata News , referred to the larger deficit as "deeply troubling". "The current trajectory is concerning, and the government must change its fiscal strategy to one that is truly sustainable." "The way the budget is being presented, it's like the government is trying to show that in one year Fiji will become a developed country." MP Ketal Lal on social media called the budget "a desperate cloak for scandal" designed to appeal to voters ahead of elections in 2026. "This is what happens when a government governs by pressure instead of principle. The people have been crying out for years. The Opposition has consistently raised concerns about the crushing cost of living but they only act when it becomes politically necessary. And even then, it's never enough." He also pointed out, regarding the 3 percent increase in civil servants salaries, that someone earning FJ$30,000 a year would only see a pay increase of $900 per year.
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 28 May
A man has died after pirates reportedly boarded two boats off Madang, PNG, and forced people into the water The passengers were travelling from Madang Town to Saidor Station. Photo: Google Maps A man has died after pirates reportedly boarded two boats off Madang, PNG, and forced people into the water. NBC PNG reported the passengers were travelling in two 40-horse powered dinghies from Madang Town to Saidor Station. Operator of the search and rescue boat Leonard Kudud said a distress call was received from deployed police personnel, reporting a pirate attack near Tabalip Point. He said during the attack, the pirates forced all passengers overboard and ordered them to swim ashore. One male passenger, unable to swim, drowned. The survivors were transported to the Basamuk Plant Site, where they received medical attention. Fiji's deputy prime minister Biman Prasad said it's up the President to release information on the Commission of Inquiry into the appointment of the anti-corruption office head, Barbara Malimali. The Fiji Times reported Prasad saying the inquiry was called for and appointed by President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. He said it's the president who should be asked about former Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry's claim that the inquiry cost taxpayers over FJ$2 million. Prasad also defended Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's failure to make the report public. He said Rabuka is an experienced prime minister who knows what is right for the country. US President Donald Trump's executive order enabling more commercial fishing in the Pacific is being challenged in court. Environmental activist group Earthjustice said the order, which allows fishing in some protected zones in the Pacific, will have region-wide consequences to marine ecosystems. AP reported Earthjustice calling the order "piling lawlessness on top of lawlessness" and a threat to "a wide variety of scientific and historical treasures". The protected zones encompass various US-owned territories, including Johnston Atoll near Hawai'i. Papua New Guinea's health department has approved a ban on the use and importing of e-cigarettes. The National reported health minister Elias Kapavore saying there are concerns about the use of e-cigarettes among young people aged from 11 to 17. Anyone breaching the ban could be fined 10,000 kina - about US$2,440. Companies breaking the rules would face a fine of 100,000 kina, and this can be doubled if it's a tobacco company in breach. Kapavore said according to statistics, tobacco is estimated to cause 8.8 per cent of all deaths in PNG. The law was to come into effect seven days after its formal gazettal notice was published. Australia is giving another US$1.9 million for climate and disaster resilience for Pacific Farmer Organisations. The Climate Resilient Farming in Pacific Islands program is coordinated by Pacific Farmer Organisations, who represent a network of 30 farmer organisations and more than 100,000 smallholder farmers. Australia's High Commissioner to Tonga Brek Batley said locally tailored climate solutions are essential for a prosperous, resilient and inclusive agriculture sector across the Pacific. Australia said the program benefited 16,800 farmers in seven countries in its first year. Solomon Islands parliament has passed legislation allowing the setting up of Special Economic Zones. Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said the Special Economic Zones can steer the country towards sustained peace, economic recovery, and long-term development. He said by concentrating government efforts and resources in designated areas, the zones can encourage economic diversification and job creation.
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Fiji Can't Compete With Australia And NZ On Teacher Salaries
Article – RNZ However, Biman Prasad says the government is taking steps to retain Fijian teachers as the education system faces a teacher shortage problem. Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin Editor Fiji cannot compete with Australia and New Zealand to retain its teachers, the man in charge of the country's finances says. The Fijian education system is facing major challenges as the Sitiveni Rabuka-led coalition struggles to address a teacher shortage. While the education sector recieves a significant chunk of the budget (approximately NZ$587 million), it has not been sufficient, as global demand for skilled teachers is pulling qualified Fijian educators toward greener pastures. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad said that the government is training more teachers. 'The government has put in measures, we are training enough teachers, but we are also losing teachers to Australia and New Zealand,' he told Pacific Waves on the sidelines of the University of the South Pacific Council meeting in Auckland last week. 'We are happy that Australia and New Zealand gain those skills, particularly in the area of maths and science, where you have a shortage. And obviously, Fiji cannot match the salaries that teachers get in Australia and New Zealand. According to the Education Ministry's Strategic Development Plan (2023-2026), the shortage of teachers is one of the key challenges, alongside limited resources and inadequate infrastructure, particularly for primary schools. Reports in local media in August last year said there were hundreds of teacher vacancies that needed to be filled. However, Prasad said there were a lot of teachers who are staying in Fiji as the government was taking steps to keep teachers in the country. 'We are training more teachers. We are putting additional funding, in terms of making sure that we provide the right environment, right support to our teachers,' he said. 'In the last two years, we have increased the salaries of the civil service right across the board, and those salaries and wages range from between 10 to 20 percent. 'We are again going to look at how we can rationalise some of the positions within the Education Ministry, right from preschool up to high school.' Meanwhile, the Fijian government is currently undertaking a review of the Education Act 1966. Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said in parliament last month that a draft bill is expected to be submitted to Cabinet in July. 'The Education Act 1966, the foundational law for pre-tertiary education in Fiji, has only been amended a few times since its promulgation, and has not undergone a comprehensive review,' he said. 'It is imperative that this legislation be updated to reflect modern standards and address current issues within the education system.'
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Fiji Can't Compete With Australia And NZ On Teacher Salaries
Article – RNZ However, Biman Prasad says the government is taking steps to retain Fijian teachers as the education system faces a teacher shortage problem. Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin Editor Fiji cannot compete with Australia and New Zealand to retain its teachers, the man in charge of the country's finances says. The Fijian education system is facing major challenges as the Sitiveni Rabuka-led coalition struggles to address a teacher shortage. While the education sector recieves a significant chunk of the budget (approximately NZ$587 million), it has not been sufficient, as global demand for skilled teachers is pulling qualified Fijian educators toward greener pastures. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad said that the government is training more teachers. 'The government has put in measures, we are training enough teachers, but we are also losing teachers to Australia and New Zealand,' he told Pacific Waves on the sidelines of the University of the South Pacific Council meeting in Auckland last week. 'We are happy that Australia and New Zealand gain those skills, particularly in the area of maths and science, where you have a shortage. And obviously, Fiji cannot match the salaries that teachers get in Australia and New Zealand. According to the Education Ministry's Strategic Development Plan (2023-2026), the shortage of teachers is one of the key challenges, alongside limited resources and inadequate infrastructure, particularly for primary schools. Reports in local media in August last year said there were hundreds of teacher vacancies that needed to be filled. However, Prasad said there were a lot of teachers who are staying in Fiji as the government was taking steps to keep teachers in the country. 'We are training more teachers. We are putting additional funding, in terms of making sure that we provide the right environment, right support to our teachers,' he said. 'In the last two years, we have increased the salaries of the civil service right across the board, and those salaries and wages range from between 10 to 20 percent. 'We are again going to look at how we can rationalise some of the positions within the Education Ministry, right from preschool up to high school.' Meanwhile, the Fijian government is currently undertaking a review of the Education Act 1966. Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said in parliament last month that a draft bill is expected to be submitted to Cabinet in July. 'The Education Act 1966, the foundational law for pre-tertiary education in Fiji, has only been amended a few times since its promulgation, and has not undergone a comprehensive review,' he said. 'It is imperative that this legislation be updated to reflect modern standards and address current issues within the education system.'
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fiji can't compete with Australia and NZ on teacher salaries
Fijian teachers from the Western Division at a training session at Ra High School led by the Education Ministry. 21 May 2025 Photo: Facebook / Ministry of Education FIJI Fiji cannot compete with Australia and New Zealand to retain its teachers, the man in charge of the country's finances says. The Fijian education system is facing major challenges as the Sitiveni Rabuka-led coalition struggles to address a teacher shortage. While the education sector recieves a significant chunk of the budget (approximately NZ$587 million), it has not been sufficient, as global demand for skilled teachers is pulling qualified Fijian educators toward greener pastures. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad said that the government is training more teachers. "The government has put in measures, we are training enough teachers, but we are also losing teachers to Australia and New Zealand," he told Pacific Waves on the sidelines of the University of the South Pacific Council meeting in Auckland last week. "We are happy that Australia and New Zealand gain those skills, particularly in the area of maths and science, where you have a shortage. And obviously, Fiji cannot match the salaries that teachers get in Australia and New Zealand. Pal Ahluwalia, Biman Prasad and Aseri Radrodro at the opening of the 99th USP Council Meeting at Auckland University. 20 May 2025 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis According to the Education Ministry's Strategic Development Plan (2023-2026) , the shortage of teachers is one of the key challenges, alongside limited resources and inadequate infrastructure, particularly for primary schools. Reports in local media in August last year said there were hundreds of teacher vacancies that needed to be filled. However, Prasad said there were a lot of teachers who are staying in Fiji as the government was taking steps to keep teachers in the country. "We are training more teachers. We are putting additional funding, in terms of making sure that we provide the right environment, right support to our teachers," he said. "In the last two years, we have increased the salaries of the civil service right across the board, and those salaries and wages range from between 10 to 20 percent. "We are again going to look at how we can rationalise some of the positions within the Education Ministry, right from preschool up to high school." Meanwhile, the Fijian government is currently undertaking a review of the Education Act 1966. Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said in parliament last month that a draft bill is expected to be submitted to Cabinet in July. "The Education Act 1966, the foundational law for pre-tertiary education in Fiji, has only been amended a few times since its promulgation, and has not undergone a comprehensive review," he said. "It is imperative that this legislation be updated to reflect modern standards and address current issues within the education system."
