Thank you, Mr. Speaker, sir. I thank the honorable uh member for his quick question. >> [clears throat] >> But before I respond to the question, Mr. Speaker, sir, may I just uh compliment the Secretary General and the members of the staff for the uh for the communication we got from them very early this morning after we rose so late last night. And also the the uh email copy of the uncorrected Hansard for yesterday in all its long proceedings all to be recorded on uh on paper and transmitted to us is a great uh >> [clears throat] >> testament testament to the uh industry of your staff, honorable Speaker, sir. I uh try to respond to the honorable member for his question. Carefully is very important and also timely. The government has a responsibility to plan and prioritize public investment carefully. We must ensure that our limited public resources are directed >> [clears throat] >> to protect and advance our national ambitions and deliver meaningful benefits to the people. Mr. Speaker, sir, project selection is guided first and foremost by the National Development Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2050 >> [clears throat] >> and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These uh national frameworks guide the preparation of our annual budgets and the allocation of resources across ministries and divisions. They are considered together with our fiscal and development priorities including reducing the deficit, improving the debt-to-GDP ratio, and maintaining fiscal sustainability. At the same time, uh Mr. Speaker, government must continue investing in poverty reduction, education, health and medical infrastructure, social infrastructure, public safety, law and order, and other essential services. >> [clears throat] >> Mr. Speaker, resources allocation is also informed by the development profile of each division as the question is referring to uh uh to divisions. Planners use data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics and other relevant sources to identify differences in population, service access, infrastructure needs, economic activity, and social conditions. This evidence-based approach helps government target resources where the needs and potential development impact are greater. It supports our commitment to leaving no one behind and promoting balanced development across Fiji. Project selection therefore considers national priorities, sector plans, and specific development needs of communities and regions. Mr. Speaker, sir, government also applies the public sector investment program framework, PSIP, to strengthen the assessment and prioritization of major public investments. The PHIP guidelines developed with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank provide a structured process for the preparation, appraisal, and approval of major projects. Cabinet endorsed endorsed the implementation for 10 pilot ministries and agencies for the 2024 2025 budget process with further government-wide implementation being strengthened. Under the PHIP framework new projects above the $2 million threshold are assessed against key criteria including alignment with national development plan and relevant sector plans economic, social, and environmental benefits climate change and disaster resilience implementation administrative financial capacity project readiness and feasibility and risks and the proposed risk management measures. Projects below the threshold of $2 million are considered through the normal budget process with appropriate assessment of their relevance readiness, affordability and expected benefits. The object is to ensure that projects are properly assessed and sufficiently prepared before public funds are committed. The District Development Grant administered by the Office of the Prime Minister complement these broader investment processes by addressing priority community-level needs. >> [clears throat] >> Projects are considered against the established procedures and government priority with particular attention to urgent and demonstrated community needs, improved access and connectivity, basic services and central infrastructure, economic opportunities and access to markets, social and economic benefits, and the sustainability and longer-term impact of the investment. Government also recognizes the particular challenges faced by rural, maritime, and remote communities. Priority is therefore given, where appropriate, to projects that improve access to roads, water, sanitation, electricity, education, market or trading posts, and other essential services. This approach supports balanced development and ensures that location alone does not disadvantage communities in accessing government investments. >> [clears throat] >> Mr. Speaker, sir, project selection must also take into account the fiscal resources available to government. Government cannot finance every development aspiration in a single financial year. Projects must therefore be prioritized according to their national importance, community impact, readiness, affordability, and available financing. Where priority projects cannot be accommodated within government's available resources, government continues to engage development partners and other financing sources to mobilize additional essential investment. Finally, Mr. Speaker, sir, government is further strengthening these processes through the public financial management improvement plan 2026 to 2031, which was endorsed in April of this year. The public investment management is a key priority under the plan covering the full investment cycle from planning and prioritization to allocation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. In summary, Mr. Speaker, sir, projects are not selected simply on the basis of location or individual request. They are prioritized through a structured and evident-based process that considers our national ambitions, fiscal position, sector priorities, regional development needs, community priorities, project readiness, economic and social impact, resilience, risk, and available financing. Through this approach, government seeks to ensure that every public dollar is used responsibly and delivers the greatest possible benefit to our people. Most importantly, our objective is to promote inclusive and balanced development across all divisions, reduce disparities in access to service to services and opportunities, and ensure that no community and no region is left behind. Mr. Speaker, sir, I thank