Interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry has maintained that demands of the striking nurses cannot be met as the Interim government can only afford to give them 1 percent pay cut restoration in December.
After having a meeting with Interim Prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama earlier this afternoon, Chaudhry told Village News that Fiji Nursing Association general secretary, Kuini Lutua should understand that government's financial status cannot improve overnight.
He added that Lutua should be responsible for the plight of the nurses as she had negotiated with the Public Service Commission in good faith till the last minute last week and when Fiji Public Service Association and Fiji Teachers Union signed the agreement, she backed off without any reason.
He has urged nurses to go back to work.
