This is the latest in a number of measures taken by Government to ease the lot of the poor. Earlier measures included legislation on minimum wages (soon to be extended to poorly-paid media workers!), assistance to urban squatters, rural road developments, islands shipping, Rotuman exports, and support for new rural crops. Government is also urging people to buy Fiji produce to reduce imports and increase local incomes.
For a press release on Government's decision, click here. A month ago Government approved bus fare increases. Click here to read what an anti-government blog had to say. Read on to see how ECREA persuaded Government to make school bus fares free, at least until the end of the year, and what less prejudiced people had to say.
PRESS RELEASE FROM ECREA
No bus-fares for school children until the end of the year a good start!
“A delegation of ten people including community representatives, met with the Prime Minister yesterday to present the 25,000 petitions, the findings of the monitoring survey, the bus survey as well as the four key recommendations. The announcement to subsidize school children’s bus-fares until the end of this school term is very welcome start.” said Chantelle Khan, Director of the Ecumenical Center for Research, Education & Advocacy (ECREA).
Ms. Khan added that “We are aware that this is only a start, a very good start, and that the overall increases on the general public still needs to be addressed. So we note that the PM pledges to seriously consider our recommendations which are: to revoke the new fares, to bring back the old fares, to increase bus-fares by 10% across the board of old fares and to conduct a proper assessment of the new fare structure. We also recommended that the LTA and the Ministry of Transport ensure that before the implementation of the new stage structure, they will have done a nation-wide awareness campaign”.
“We sincerely thank our partners in this campaign, the 25,000 people, the 15 school principals and head teachers, the 121 teachers and the over 2,500 students who agreed to be part of the survey. It is because of their willingness that this was made possible, ECREA being only a facilitator. We acknowledge the work of this Administration in particular the PM’s office for responding to the voice of the people”, she stated.
“We are also aware that there is some way to go before any long term solution is found so we continue to hope that the Administration will balance out the powerful lobby of the bus companies with the simple needs of the people”.
Photo: Fiji Village.
For other comments
Govt Considers Adult Bus Fares Issue
Comment by FCOSS
Comment by Fiji Teachers Union Comment
Photo: Fiji Village.
For other comments
Govt Considers Adult Bus Fares Issue
Comment by FCOSS
Comment by Fiji Teachers Union Comment
3 comments:
Raw Fiji News anti-government or anti-Frank bloggers just got smacked in their face with this decision. For all their negative reporting and gloom and doom for Fiji, this decision has made all their smart talk irrelevant and stupid. What else is in store for them to brainwash their own kind? It's getting very thin now.
Correct vitivou. I assume this is the real vitivou. Incidentally, this episode shows how stupid the non-engagement NGOs are. ECREA lobbied the government and got a pro-poor result. Why don't the women's groups lobby the government to change the law on rape, child assault and abortion? This is the time to do it if they really care about women.Trouble they all politically aligned and serve only self-interest.
@ kiti
The problem with most of the other NGOs is that they are just an arm of their foreign masters sitting in an office in Australia, New Zealand, European Union, US, etc. They sing on their master's tune and wouldn't be bothered about doing the right thing.
The mandate given to NGOs by their masters is to create noises against government policies, decisions, etc in order to drive government towards their own objectives.
Why foreign governments are placing bans on the current government leadership has very little to do with getting Fiji to democracy. This is especially with Australia and New Zealand. Their real motive for placing bans is to influence government to bend to their will or intentions.
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