Former Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says inconsistency seems to be the new norm for the People’s Coalition Government.
Speaking in a video interview posted on the FijiFirst Party Facebook Page, Sayed-Khaiyum said the Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad needs to get on with his work and what the Government has in place in terms of policies and how to grow the economy.
Sayed-Khaiyum said a lot of inconsistent policies, tax plans, and fiscal policies coming from the Ministry of Finance are being berated by the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
He said on one hand, the Fiscal Review Committee Chair Richard Naidu says one thing, then Prof Prasad says something else, that is completely off to what the Prime Minister has in mind.
“We need some stability and drive confidence in the economy and in the people. On one hand you have the Minister jumping the gun on an increase of VAT, reducing the tax threshold of those that earn below $30,000 to $16,000 while you reduce the income tax of those that earn above $50,000… which will only benefit those on the top.”
“Let’s be real about these policies, consider those that will be affected,” Sayed-Khaiyum said.
He said the Minister Responsible for Finance needs to focus on how he is running the economy and how he hopes to grow the economy.
Sayed-Khaiyum also highlighted how Government is appointing former politicians into advisory roles in the Ministry of Education.
He said, do these advisors have modern ways of thinking of education or were they hired because of their affiliations to certain political parties.
“Operational expenditures are exceeding what was budgeted for… these people came under the guise of reviewing operational costs, reducing emoluments of Government Ministers and Members of Parliament,” Sayed-Khaiyum added.
