Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the upcoming 2022-2023 National Budget would be “very much focused on seeing how we can mitigate those risks that people face”.
At a media conference on Monday, he said the value-added tax (VAT) removed from 21 items in the 2021-2022 Revised National Budget announced in April this year, would continue to be zero -rated VAT items.
On April 1, 2022, Government removed VAT from — sugar, flour, rice, canned fish, cooking oil, potatoes, onion, garlic, baby milk, powdered milk, liquid milk, dhal, tea, salt, kerosene, cooking gas, soap, soap powder, toilet paper, sanitary pads and toothpaste — and declared them VAT zero-rated items.
“Obviously the zero-rated VAT items will continue,” said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
“It has to continue given the fact that we still need to have stability as far as the commodity prices are concerned.
He also said they would also continue with infrastructure development.
“A lot of people want access to electricity, water and you would have seen for example, a lot of the roads are getting fixed up around, you know those of you who live around Suva-Nausori corridor.
“The smaller streets that have not been fixed up for quite some time are getting all fixed up.
“And this as you know, was part of the overall plan which we had announced last year.
“But the moment we have fiscal flexibility, we’ll be able to get FRA to do for example those works.”
