Decreasing departure tax, promoting of buying homes and reducing taxes on goods will make no difference to the ordinary worker.
This was the view expressed by Fiji Trades Union Congress national secretary Felix Anthony. He made the comment in relation to reductions announced in the 2020-2021 National Budget.
“At a time when workers are trying to grasp on to their jobs no matter how much of their rights and benefits they have to give up, Government is focused on decreasing departure tax or promoting buying of homes and reducing duties and taxes on goods that do not make a difference to an ordinary worker,” Mr Anthony said.
He has also criticised Government’s decision to reduce the duty on locally produced alcohol.
“Reduction in alcohol price to boost an almost non-existent tourism industry when there are no tourists or when locals cannot afford being tourists is an unrealistic move.”
Mr Anthony said Government was “ill-advised or lacks knowledge of its local people and economy. $400 worth of subsidy for a tourist is a slap on face of local workers. This would have been better used to assist workers to provide for their basic needs”.
He said more incentives should have been given towards agriculture, fishing, and home-based small businesses as “this is what is keeping the unemployed people from starving.
“This is where government investments must be targeted at, to ensure that our economy moves from import-based to self-sufficiency.”
