The Former Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said it is now a waiting game as Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama announced large concessions in the budget.
He adds we will now have to wait and see whether these concessions will generate revenue and whether this level will be sustained.
The Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum has stressed that the major incentives offered to try and increase investments in the North and other islands are for industries which are non-existent at the moment.
While clarifying the reasons for offering such incentives, Sayed Khaiyum said these are methods to try and attract investments into these areas.
FIRCA CEO Jitoko Tikolevu also stressed that they hope to start reaping the benefits of these incentives and various tax holidays from 2010.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Chamber of Commerce Acting President Swani Maharaj said while tax free exemptions are the way forward to generate investment in the country, it remains to be seen where the interim government will get their income from.
Meanwhile, a new education initiative announced by the Interim Government will offer some relief for the poorest of the poor families who are facing extreme difficulties in paying for their children's school fees.
Interim Education Minister, Filipe Bole said the new Poverty Relief Fund has been allocated $200,000 to implement this initiative and will be handled by the PM's office.
Bainimarama said it is anticipated that the bulk of funding for this initiative will come from the private sector, individuals, community and voluntary organisations and aid donors. To encourage such funding support, a 200 percent tax deduction for contributions in excess of $50,000 will be available.
