Fiji's shadow finance minister says the government's decision to change the financial year is an unnecessary move that makes no sense.
The finance minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, yesterday announced that the financial reporting year, which currently mirrors the calendar year, will move to August to July.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says this is to avoid the cyclone season, and to move a critical planning and reporting month away from the festive season, in line with several other countries, including New Zealand.
The leader of the Fiji National Federation Party, Biman Prasad. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round
But the National Federation Party's Biman Prasad says it's unnecessary considering the challenges facing the country after Cyclone Winston.
"I think the real issue is that it is an unnecessary intervention right now. The focus should be to relocate the budget and what the government should do is bring in to parliament a revised 2016 budget. I mean what is this nonsense about changing the financial year in the midst of a very serious crisis?"