FIJI has very little room in its national budget in which to absorb unexpected costs to government operations, otherwise known as economic shocks, such as a sudden cyclone or higher fuel prices. This has been pointed out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after its recent Article IV Mission to Fiji, where it is projecting moderate growth of around 2½ per cent in 2026 and average annual inflation to increase to over two per cent, given new headwinds emanating from the war in the Middle East. [....]