To deny people benefits funded by the taxpayers just because they have not been vaccinated is inhumane, unjust, and morally wrong, says National Federation Party president and Opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua.
He said the provision puts to shame the Government’s objective of leaving nobody behind.
While delivering his response on the 2021-2022 National Budget in Parliament yesterday, Mr Tikoduadua said the Government’s budgetary provision “No jabs, No benefit” measure was the height of governance insanity.
“Vaccinating the targeted population has been a problem world over,” he said.
“It will be so for a while as people grapple with the idea of vaccination. It is simply the nature of people. Any new product either takes the market by storm or swims against the tide.”
He said vaccination was an early and proven science-based approach and it has always been and will remain so – be it for Covid or any other disease.
“We have always encouraged and promoted vaccination. COVID is no exception.
“But to deny people benefits funded by the taxpayers just because they have not been vaccinated is inhumane, unjust, and morally wrong.
“It puts to shame this Government’s objective of leaving nobody behind.”
Mr Tikoduadua also questioned the importance of the careFIJI app.
“The A-G made an about-turn and says once herd immunity is achieved through vaccination, borders can open with those nations with similar statistics.
“If the careFiji app is as important as vaccine, why blackmail the people with “No jab, no benefit” or “No jab, no pay” for civil servants?
“It is heartless and cruel to hold people to ransom, those who struggle to put food on the table for their families – and that too for $30 a week.
“What nonsense.”
