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Fiji Time: 12:59 AM on Thursday 20 June

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State fund

Elenoa Baselala
Monday, April 16, 2012

Government's offshore sinking fund balance stands at $145million ($US82m), which is being kept aside to pay off the global bond issue in 2016.

Finance permanent secretary Filimone Waqabaca said the State was determined to build up the balance.

Government floated $443.4m ($US250m) worth of global bonds at 9 per cent interest last year. This means government will pay over $483m.

"Our strategy is to park some savings of government, when these are realised, in the sinking fund account," Mr Waqabaca said.

"One such example is the profit that we received from the RBF of over $47m.

"We have deposited $21.2m ($US12m) into the sinking fund account after receiving the profit. Our current balance is $145m ($US82m) and we still have four years to build up this balance.

"Prudent financial and fiscal management are allowing government to generate savings and stay on course to meet this particular objective."

The 2011 global bond issue was to pay off the 2005 global bond issue of $266m ($US150m). The balance was used for capital works.

Government, at the weekend, announced a local bond issue of $20m, for capital works. This is part of the $195m Fiji Infrastructure bond, government is expected to raise locally for infrastructure works.

"Governments in Fiji have always been borrowing from the public through bond issue though the names of the bonds may differ such as Fiji Development Loan bond, Fiji Government Bond or Fiji Infrastructure Bond. The name Fiji Infrastructure Bond is to provide clarity that funds raised through the FIB is for capital or infrastructure investments," Mr Waqabaca said.