[Fiji] Poverty level on the rise: Qarase

From The Fiji Times

THE level of poverty in Fiji has increased by four per cent, a survey carried out by the Bureau of Statistics in 2002 and 2003 states.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase revealed this at Sukuna Park, Suva, yesterday while launching the "Walking Out of Poverty" program, an initiative by the Ministry of Women and the International Labour Organisation to reduce poverty.

Mr Qarase said the bureau, with the support of the Asian Development Bank did a survey on Household Income and Expenditure in 2002 and 2003.

"The analysis concluded the general level of poverty nationally, has increased from 25 per cent to around 29 per cent of the population," he said.

"There are, however, serious pockets of poverty in urban areas. But it would appear to be more widespread in rural communities, where cash incomes are low," Mr Qarase said. He said although Fijian families in the rural areas received the lowest levels of income, the survey revealed that non-Fijian families were the poorest.

"There are obviously families with no land on which to depend for their basic subsistence.

"The Government's recent land proposals, rejected in Parliament by the Fiji Labour Party, would have given them new hope of a secure future on 50 year leases," said Mr Qarase.

He said the Government was concerned with urgently addressing the plight of those who were struggling to make ends meet daily.

Mr Qarase said poverty was not just a Fiji phenomenon but was common worldwide and millions of people had difficulty in meeting their basic needs every day.

He said what's needed was for society to be more compassionate about helping those who weren't capable of taking care of themselves.