The sudden concern Mick Beddoes and Laisenia Qarase are now trying to show for the poor is sheer hypocrisy.

These are the words of Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry saying that Qarase, a man who raised VAT twice in his 6 year term in office, to 12.5% in 2003 and 15% in Budget 2007 cannot have any real sympathy for the plight of the poor.

Chaudhry, who is in India at the moment, also attacked Beddoes asking where the Opposition Leader’s conscience and concern for the poor was when he voted in Parliament in support of this 15% VAT imposition on the people.

However, Beddoes said he voted for the Budget on assurance that there would not be any further VAT increase, that when economic conditions improved it would be reviewed and that there would be a concerted effort to tackle the huge size of a government which uses 80% of annual funds.

He added that Chaudhry so far has not implemented firm proposals and plans to counter the world price increases.