2023-2024 National Budget | Deregistered NGOs to be given a chance for re-registration

Non profit organisations that have been deregistered will get a chance to apply for re-registration.

This was the assurance given by Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad to a number of NGOs in Lautoka this week.

“They will get an opportunity to be re-registered, some within the same framework and if we feel that we need to change some of those policies or requirements, we will, because we want all of you that have been deregistered to be reregistered and become a functioning NGO,” he said.

“Our idea is, the more the merrier.”

He said not-for-profit organisations were an important tool that could be used by government to effectively serve Fijians.

“There are a lot of good NGOs and we believe that governments need to empower NGOs and we need to work with them.

“They are at the forefront of a lot of the things that happen and we can use the NGOs, (deliver)a lot of services more effectively then if you try and do it on your own.

“We will have a look at some of those requirements from the point of view of making sure they are reasonable in applying some of those policies.”

He said there was a need to change the legislation governing NGOs and they would consult the relevant stakeholders.

“There are a number of laws that are there, we will have to systematically go through. Some of them are very draconian, some of them may not be necessary anymore and some of them may need changes.

“We are bringing back the Law Reform Commission which was a body that used to look laws.”