Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has ruled out the tabling of a mini-budget in their first 100 days, one of their election promises in the lead-up to the 2022 Elections.
Responding to a question from Mai TV, Mr. Rabuka said there was now no need for one.
“Now that we have looked at the machinery available to us in various ministries, and the Ministry of Finance, and with the cooperation of the Minister of Finance, we can effect those things that we want to bring in, in the first 100 days.”
He made mention of the mini-budget during a presser he convened in Suva this afternoon in which he outlined some of the key decisions by cabinet including its endorsement of the redeployment of funds within the 2022-23 Budget to fund “immediate priorities of the government.”
The redeployment of funds he says also allows the government “to cater for additional funding requests received from ministries and other agencies” including the release of $10 million to the University of the South Pacific (USP), the one-off $200 Back to School support payment for students from kindergarten to year 13.
“Other agencies that will receive funding through the deployment exercise include Fiji Servicemen’s After Care Fund, the Electoral Commission, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Ministry of Public Works and Meteorological Services, Fiji Roads Authority, and the General Reserve Vote to cater for the Busfare Subsidy Programme.”
He also told MaiTV that as it stands redeployment of funds would be sourced from within the ministries’ budget.
“Right now, nothing has been shelved. We have looked at the savings on what is there available in the ministry, in their heads.”
