National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad Photo: RNZ Pacific / Kelvin Anthony
Fiji's deputy prime minister and finance minister Biman Prasad has defended the PAP-NFP-SODELPA coalition against "mischief and rumours" that the Rabuka-led government is discriminating against Indo-Fijians in the country.
Earlier this year, the Fijian President Wiliame Katonivere revealed that Fiji's population comprises of 62 percent of iTaukei people, about 34 percent of Fijian of Indian descent and slightly over three percent of other races.
Race relations has been thorny issue that the Fijian society has had to confront today, which has resulted in four coups in the last three and a half decades.
However, following the December 2022 elections, political leaders have attempted to make an effort to heal past wounds.
Speaking at a party meeting in Lautoka last week, the NFP leader said that claims that the Rabuka-led coalition was putting the interests of one group over the other were "lies" that were being peddled by the coalition government's "detractors".
While no further information on the rumours were offered, Prasad said the government has increased the budget for the iTaukei Ministry - responsible for indigenous affairs - because it had been neglected "for years".
"Let me just say this, this this mischief and rumour that this government is discriminating against certain ethnic groups, particularly Indo-Fijians, is being spread by our detractors," he said.
"When we increase social welfare, when they give $200 every student, when we give subsidies to agriculture, when we put in $8 million additional to top up the price to $91.38 for the sugarcane farmers where 90 percent of the farmers are Indo-Fijians, we're not saying that only the iTaueki people or the Ind0-Fijians are going to benefit from this."
Prasad said the claims are coming from those people who have been "using the race card" in the past years.
The PAP-NFP-SODELPA coalition government has shown that it is for all the people of Fiji, he said.
The NFP leader said the coalition government will prioritise actions that serve the needs of both the indigenous and Indo-Fijian communities through policies that were "designed to bring the people of this country together".
He said 75 percent of those who live below the poverty line were iTaukei people.
"Let's move out of this misinformation, mischief, rumour that certain ethnic groups are being discriminated under this government is false."
"It's false, it is a lie."
