Mr Speaker
I join the rest of the Honourable Members of this august chambers in thanking His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, President of the Republic of Fiji, for his most gracious speech when he opened the new sitting year of Parliament on 4th March.
His Excellency reminded all of us not to lose sight of the fact that national interest is paramount at all times. He urged us to ensure that we must promote unity and diversity.
His Excellency also expressed concern that a few unscrupulous politicians continuing to instigate mistrust among our communities. And he emphasised the importance of respectful debate because of its impact on inter-ethnic relations.
Mr Speaker, I have always believed Parliament to be a temple of democracy. We all have had bitter and acrimonious debates in the past and will no doubt continue doing so in the future. We can be as hard hitting as we like.
However, debates of such nature should not be based on race, religion or ethnicity. It should not be used as a fear mongering tool. It should be without lies and it should be about making wild and unsubstantiated claims.
Therefore, my rebuttal of what came out from the Opposition will form the basis of my reply as well as what the Ministry that I am entrusted with, will do this year.
I thank the honourable Prime Minister and the honourable Leader of the Opposition for their dignified, respectful and meaningful contributions. For once, I was hopeful that our honourable Opposition Members would take the cue from their parliamentary leader while delivering their responses.
But Mr Speaker, my hope turned into disappointment a few moments after Honourable Ketan Lal rose to deliver his response.
At the same time, I understood why the honourable member, who as a student leader at the Fiji National University vigorously campaigning for the National Federation Party in the lead-up to the 2018 general elections, left the NFP and joined the Fiji First.
People have the absolute freedom of choice. And that includes switching allegiance from political party to another. We, have, are and will see quite examples of this. But to do so and shirk one’s self-dignity, respect and non-negotiable principle of truth, justice, righteousness and for the sake of political expediency, is intolerable.
Mr Speaker, I don’t mind being mercilessly attacked. I am sure most of us here are used to it. But do not make sweeping generalization or lie about the political party that I lead – the NFP.
The NFP wasn’t born yesterday. It’s contribution to the social, economic and political advancement of Fiji, not to mention its prominent role in securing our Independence in 1970, is unparalleled and unmatched.
The NFP has been part of every legislature each decade, beginning from 1963. It is, as I have said quite a few times, a principled impregnable fortress. It will be a 61 years old in July this year.
Honourable Ketan Lal’s statement that the NFP had the slogan “ time for a change” for the 2022 elections is a lie. The NFP’s Vision Document and other election material had our theme “Together For Fiji’s Future”.
And that is what we achieved. We are part of a three-party coalition government that is re-setting the moral compass of governance to make Fiji a land of hope and opportunity.
The second statement which is a lie by Honourable Ketan Lal is that the Back to School assistance was started by Fiji First. I ask him to provide conclusive evidence to back his claim that in a school year over 200,000 students from families earning less than $50,000 per annum, benefited from a grant of $200 each to prepare for school.
This was a noteworthy initiative of the Coalition government for the past two years, worth more than $40 million for each of the past two years.
Of course the honourable member went on a vilification boat trip. I believe he has shredded his last streaks of political morality and ethical conduct. And in doing so, he has displayed his real intent of being an unscrupulous politician who thrives on instigating mistrust to survive in the political landscape.
On the economy Mr Speaker, I was accused of cooking economic statistics to show growth for the next two years. I will be lying if I say I am not a cook. I do cook occasionally but within the confines of the kitchen in my home. And I do not cook statistics, unlike the boss many across the aisle report to even though their boss is the honourable Leader of the Opposition.
Also what I cannot cook is the latest report by the International Monetary Fund. Only yesterday IMF released a report on its latest findings on Fiji’s economy. The report clearly states our economy is expected to grow by 3% this year.
The IMF also expressed satisfaction at the prudent financial management of public funds as well our fiscal policy saying debt to GDP ratio was falling.
The report says inflation, which is currently 5%, will drop down to 3% by the end of 2024. And that our GDP is at its highest of over $13 billion.
If this isn’t prudent management of our public finances and debt levels by the Coalition government, then what is Mr Speaker?
May I ask, is borrowing almost $7 billion in 16 years to balloon our debt to around $10 billion, compared to a debt level of $2.8 billion for 36 years, good economics and expert management of the economy that that some in the Opposition claim?
But I know despite the release of the IMF findings and report only 24 hours ago, many honourable opposition members will continue ignoring this fact and heap blame on the Coalition government, accusing it of mismanaging the economy.
After all unscrupulous politicians that His Excellency expressed concern about have nothing else to do but spread their web of lies and deceit.
I give my assurance to Parliament that the economy is in safe hands of the coalition government and it will continue to contribute towards the construction of a foundation that will provide the bedrock of our efforts in making Fiji a land of hope and opportunity.
Mr Speaker, incredulously, some honourable opposition members have criticised the conversion of TELS loans worth over $650 million affecting over 53,000 students to scholarships. As well as the fact that going forward the Coalition government will offer scholarships instead of loans.
They don’t like the fact that in lieu of scholarships and non-payment of loans paid by taxpayers, students will have to serve bonds.
This is the most ridiculous of all theories. They forget that under the former Fiji First government, even students under the loan scheme were subjected to restrictions because the former government tried everything in the book, including placing them on travel departure to ensure the conditions were complied with.
Because they wanted the students to pay their debt.
We have lifted this burden from the students, upon the strong recommendation from SODELPA that is part of the Coalition government.
Every scholarship has a bond and it is nothing new at all. The Opposition know this, but they are playing cheap and petty politics. It has been the policy for a few decades, even under the leadership of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. And there is nothing wrong with this.
Taxpayers of Fiji pay the students’ tertiary fees. Once they graduate, all they do is work in accordance with their bond and do not pay a single cent back to government. If they want to migrate without serving the bond, then they have ti pay.
Absolutely nothing wrong with this with past scholarships. And absolutely correct now. Doesn’t the Opposition want the graduates to fully enjoy their salaries for their needs and wants as well as to save and invest, instead of being burdened by debt that the former Fiji First government subjugated and enslaved them to?
The Coalition government is about kindness, care and compassion. And this is one of the initiatives this government has introduced to inculcate pride and patriotism as well as freedom of choice for our graduates.
Mr Speaker, His Excellency highlighted the National Development Plan or NDP as an agenda for the Coalition this year. This is is a 3 years, 5 years and 20 years – short, medium and long-term plan.
It will be the most comprehensive plan since our Independence and be the basis for our short, medium and long-term goals. There has never been consultation of this magnitude ahead of the formulation of such a plan.
But we heard yesterday that this plan isn’t needed. Because there is already a NDP launched by the former Fiji First government.
That plan, Mr Speaker, that the honourable Leader of the Opposition is surely aware of, was launched in Bonn, Germany, during COP 23 in November 2017. Not in Fiji. Not in parliament. Why?
Because it was very seriously flawed. It was a gimmick. For example, projections on sugar production were out of this world. The plan was launched in 2017. But its accuracy in terms of past statistics was horrendous.
For example, the . the Plan states in 2016, Fiji produced 1.6 million tonnes of cane and 164,000 tonnes of sugar. The correct statistics recorded by the industry was 1.38 million tonnes of cane and 139,503 tonnes of sugar at a TCTS of 9.9.
If this wasn’t deliberately misleading the rest of the world then what is?
Mr Speaker, statistics and projections for 2017 to 2021 was fraudulent, to say the least. The 2017 cane production was stated to be 1.8 million tonnes and sugar production of 313,000 tonnes at an unbelievable TCTS of 5.75. No sugar producing country in the world has ever achieved or will record such a TCTS.
This is just an example. There is intense focus on climate change in this plan – also cooked. Replacement of Fiji’s vehicle fleet with Euro-5 fuel vehicles within 4 years – also cooked to charcoal.
There is no way whatsoever that the Coalition government can embrace such a flawed plan. We are in the process of formulating a new and authentic plan with the widest possible consultation. And we will get this done. So that it is the basis of our future policies.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Minister for Employment has this morning informed Parliament on the progress of the review of the minimum wage and sectoral wages. As he said, the announcement of the 2024-25 budget will reveal what the outcome of the review will be.
On land leases and informal settlements Mr Speaker, the Coalition government will pay the premiums for the renewal of 218 agricultural leases. This is worth $1.2 million.
The Land Taskforce is at work. It is consulting all stakeholders. It is work in progress.
All I will say is be patient. We will not adopt a piecemeal solution. As far as informal settlements go, the honourable local government minister has clarified in detail as to what is the progress. For honourable Bala’s information, Varavu settlement is being taken care of. So will the Lovu seaside settlement where numbers in red paint were painted on the doors more than a few years ago. And I wonder who did that.
Mr Speaker, in the last 14 months of rule, the Coalition government has many achievemkents. The Opposition will ignore them for obvious reasons. It is their role to be critical watchdogs, but not to turn facts into lies.
Finally Mr Speaker, yesterday you said for honourable members to move on from 1987, in reference rto Honourable Virendra Lal. He accused me of being a professor of liars. If that is the type of lesson he is receiving, God help him.
Youb are right Mr Speaker, 1987 is almost 37 years old. We have had May 19th, 2000, December 5th, 2006 recorded as coups. But why not abrogation of the Constitution on 29th May 2000 as well as overthrow of Fiji Court of Appeal ruling and the 1997 Constitution on 10th April 2009?
The person that the Opposition is targeting for obvious reasons has returned as Prime Minister, 23 years after exiting from office in May 1999. This is remarkable by any stretch of the imagination.
He, together with thev then NFP Leader Justice Jai Ram Reddy and the Sir Paul Reeves led Commission of Tomasi Vakatora and Brij Vilash Lal gave us the 1997 Constitition.
He, together with MrvReddy , had a vision for Fiji and her people. A vision of a united and harmonious Fiji.
23 years later, Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka once again became the Prime Minister of Fiji. And he did so by maintaning his principles that both he and Mr Reddy wanted for Fiji.
This is the hallmark of a man. When the chips are down, the real peerson stands up.
We fell together in 1999. We rose sgain in 2022. It isnt Jai Ram Reddy by his side, but his apprentice of a party that was, is and will be a fixture on Fiji’s landscape.
May God bless Fiji