The Fiji Labour Party has come out today with a Social Package for the 2018 general election which promises the restoration of the retirement age to 60 years, reverse the term employment contracts for civil servants and increase the minimum wage rate to $3.50 per hour.
FLP Proposed Candidates Leader Aman Ravindra Singh says FLP will introduce a fee-subsidy scheme for approved degree/diploma courses, review the Tertiary Education Loan Scheme and students who successfully complete their courses will have their loan repayment cut by 50%, increase the number of scholarships, continue to provide fee-free education but also provide assistance to poor parents to equip their children for school.
The party is also saying that they will remove VAT on basic food items, extend the list of food, medicine, baby food and essential consumer items zero-rated under VAT, review all levies on goods and services which are imposed additional to VAT, reduce electricity rates, review the water rates billing system and reduce bus fares by removing the 9% VAT levy.
FLP says they will also provide a pension of $150 a month to senior citizens with no other source of income, introduce a National Health Service Scheme through the FNPF, have private sector participation in the management of divisional hospitals and recruit more doctors.
When asked on how all these will be implemented, Singh only said that they will increase the budget allocations.
