Poverty measurement – The Fiji Times

There needs to be a change in how poverty is measured in Fiji, says Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei president Adi Finau Tabakaucoro.

Adi Finau told The Fiji Times yesterday that the general tendency is to look at poverty based on income and not based on the people’s lack of basic needs.

She said the Government had about 40 social protection mechanisms, which were more than what was offered in any other Pacific island country.

“This Government, including the past government, has 40 plus social protection mechanisms, and I suppose those who talk about poverty base their comments on that because the Government provides for the poor through social welfare and provides for the elderly through bus vouchers and also provide for the elderly in the villages who don’t have regular income as well,” Adi Finau said.

“And that is the responsibility of the Government because they offered themselves to solve these issues.”

Adi Finau cited the cases of Bangladesh and the Philippines where there were slums that didn’t have water and people didn’t have food sources or employment.

“That’s poverty,” she said.

“Here, people who sleep on the streets are there by choice. If you go and ask them, they don’t want to go to their relatives because they don’t want to be told when to get their meal, told to bathe, and all that. They like their freedom and there are enough public facilities to cater for them which says a lot for the country.”

Adi Finau said in terms of health, every tikina and island in the maritime provinces had a health centre which usually had at least a nurse working as a health practitioner.

“Is there any other country in the Pacific region that has that? It comes down to people, to the communities on how to use these while the State has the responsibility of making sure people have access to basic needs like water, food, shelter, education, employment and infrastructure.”

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