The Public Employees Union (PEU) of Fiji has declared a strike after the military government reduced the salaries of civil servants by five percent as part of an emergency budget earlier this month.
The provisions of this budget are aimed at shoring up the economy of the island country. They include budget cuts for education, health, the police and the armed forces.
Economy of Fiji has been badly hurt by international sanctions after last year’s December 5 coup by the military. The tourism industry has suffered badly as tourist arrivals have gone down drastically after the military take-over.
Mahendra Chaudhry, the interim finance minister, has said that Fiji’s economy is doomed.
Pita Delana, the General Secretary of the PEU, said ‘Some of our members are angry ... if the army intervenes, then there will be a confrontation. The way we look at it, we have a dictatorial leadership in our country now.’
Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Fiji’s coup leader, has warned that a wide-ranging strike would destabilise the country. The military is ready to take action to prevent it, he said.
The PEU leader said his members would not be intimidated by the military regime’s threats to crack down on them.
Frank Bainimarama has also said ‘Civil servants should be grateful they are continuing with their paid employment and are already well paid.’
