“We’re not touching the whole chicken,” Finance minister Biman Prasad said at the a post budget breakfast hosted by Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation. Protection is there for a purpose, he said, after the government reduced import duty on chicken portions. “We have a history of protectionism in this country,” Mr Prasad said. The move should compel local producers to work efficiently and improve on production, he said. “There is no ulterior motive on those policies,” Mr Prasad said. “We have had an egotistic view.” National Minimum Wage Mr Prasad said the government would not resort to Standing Order 51 to address employer relations. Standing Order 51 supports motions to proceed without delay, on the grounds that it is backed by majority of all members. It was last reviewed in 2024 without change. Mr Prasad promised a robust consultative process on laws governing the workforce. “We are not ramping things up,” he said. “We want tripartite as it’s in our interest to have legislation for workers. “No need to panic, there are areas we will disagree with, but we can work through that.”