Good morning Honorable Speaker,
Honorable Ministers & Assistant Ministers,
Honorable Leader of Opposition and
Honorable Members of this August House.
I also bid good morning to guests and members of the public in the gallery today. To everyone tuning into the live broadcast of today’s parliamentary sitting, Ni sa Bula Vina’a, Namaste and Good Morning to you all.
Mr. Speaker – I rise to deliver my ministerial statement on the Vanua Levu Road Upgrade Project. The project is to be funded by a Grant from the Peoples’ Republic of China through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).
It is anticipated Sir, that the road upgrade will stimulate development of tourism, renewable energy projects including hydro power facilities and the transport and movement of people including through the planned Nabouwalu township which is the main transport link to Viti Levu.
Mr. Speaker, the “One China Policy”, has been the firm foundation of Fiji-China diplomatic relations, founded some 49
years ago.” As you are aware Sir, I met President Xi Jinping on the margins of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in San Francisco on 16 November 2023. Key deliberations during our meeting centered around China’s global development initiatives, with a specific focus on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Mr. Speaker, the BRI is designed to foster economic connectivity, trade, and cultural exchange, particularly through infrastructure development. This also resonates with our national development objectives.
The BRI aligns with Fiji’s agenda, emphasising shared goals of policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation and financial integration. Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2018, bilateral and economic cooperation and people-to- people exchanges have yielded fruitful results.
Fiji will continue to promote cooperation with China under the framework of the BRI in areas such as infrastructure construction, renewable energy, agriculture and fisheries.
In the talks with President Xi, I emphasised Fiji and China’s strong historical ties, underpinned by shared
aspirations and common interests, fostering a comprehensive strategic partnership rooted in mutual trust and respect.
The multifaceted collaboration between Fiji and China, spans people-to-people relations and cooperation across sectors such as agriculture, education, health, trade and investment, poverty reduction, infrastructure, and climate change. President Xi and I also discussed practical matters, including Fiji’s concessional loan with China, as well as the Vanua Levu Road Upgrading Project.
As Minister responsible for Climate Change, I expressed our interest in collaborating with China on recycling initiatives, recognising the potential for economic incentives derived from China’s experience in industrial recycling processes.
At this juncture Sir, I also wish to cordially thank Ambassador ZHOU Jian for our continuing discussions on the prospects for future cooperation in the areas of socio-economic development. Mr. Speaker, the China Aid project will improve the following roads in Vanua Levu:
(i) part of the Nabouwalu-Makolei Road in Bua;
(ii) Natewa-West Coast in Cakaudrove,
(iii) Nabalebale-Naviavia/Dawara Roads in Cakaudrove
The project is estimated to cost FJD $300m and will be the flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Fiji. Vanua Levu has an area of 5,587.1 square kilometres (2,157.2 sq mi) and a population of 135,965 as confirmed by the 2019-2020 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey report. The roads being upgraded are currently still unpaved gravel that connect rural village roads and need to be paved.
Such road conditions:
increase travelling time,
damage transported commodities and
goods,
are insufficient for current traffic loads
and
restrict socioeconomic development
in general.
Tabulated below villages, schools and Health facilities that will benefited from the 82km Road Upgrade
No of Villages No of. Schools/Tertiary No. of Health Facilities No. Government Facilities
Nabouwalu 15 8 3 6
– Nasolo
(15km)
Natewa
West Cost 22 8 4 6
(32km)
Wailevu West 61 18 5 3
(35km)
The Project will fulfil our objectives to promote economic growth, foster fair distribution of development gains to the population, and improving social conditions, particularly in rural areas.
As you know Mr. Speaker, remote rural and island communities in Fiji are relatively poor and isolated from economic opportunities and social services, particularly when rural access roads and jetties are in poor condition.
Further, our country is prone to disruptive natural events such as tropical cyclones and resultant flooding. Fiji’s topography has restricted the 11,000- kilometer road network to spine or circumferential main roads with feeder roads, leaving few route alternatives.
In the main urban areas, lower-level municipal roads are neglected, rough, and sometimes impassable. Therefore Mr. Speaker, transport infrastructure and services are key to promoting economic growth and social development.
Further, rural industries such as sugar cane farming, forestry, and tourism rely on road access, e.g., from plantations to processing plants to our ports.
This project will also facilitate better access to health facilities for those in the districts of Vaturova, Koroalau, Wailevu, Solevu, Vuya and Nabouwalu with a population of approximately 10,000.
The upgrade and sealing of these rural roads will also enable better access to banks and financial institutions to boost the culture of saving as well as to micro and small businesses.
Further, the provision of good quality roads would ensure better transportation and linkages of quality farm produce to markets, middle-men, traders and processing plants for export purposes.
Rural communities residing along the roads being upgraded will also have better access to Government services and offices – in fact there are 12 health facilities and 15 Government stations along these three roads currently.
The current poor road conditions greatly affect operations for rural service providers.
Poor road quality hinders access and it’s costly for those residing in the district of Nadi, Solevu and Vuya. The project will complete a major link in the strategic network and provide a fast route for traffic around the island of Vanua Levu.
Mr. Speaker, as part of the project, a feasibility study was carried out earlier this year by a technical team from China. The team conducted a thorough investigation on road traffic and conditions.
Ambassador Zhou Zian and I visited the Team during the Study to discuss their preliminary findings and I was pleased to host the team at Drekeniwai for afternoon tea. The Feasibility Report is now being finalised and will be studied by the China International Development Cooperation (CIDCA) before work commences.
This project prioritises areas requiring upgrading, such as this portion of Vanua Levu previously overlooked.The project seamlessly continues the Fiji Road Upgrading Programme (FRUP) which commenced soon after independence by the Alliance Government.
FRUP was continued by the SVT Coalition Government in the 1990s and SDL Government in the early 2000s.
This project connects the previous iterations of FRUP. In the past, the chiefs and leaders of Cakaudrove politely deferred road development to areas facing greater challenges in other parts of Fiji, “Me ra liu mada oira qore, Tu’aqu, ‘tou qai muri o edatou”.
However, it’s now time to address neglect and ensure we also improve road conditions.
Previous Fiji Road Upgrading projects (FRUP1, FRUP2, FRUP3) saw upgrades of the national highways on Viti Levu. These upgrades were based on the identified need and demand for transport and the economic activities to be supported to benefit the large populations in those areas. This is also the case with this Vanua Levu Road Upgrading Projects.
Mr. Speaker, future road upgrading plans will see round the island roads completed on the larger islands as infrastructure development projects flow to the remaining large islands and maritime provinces.
Mr. Speaker, the Project is expected to commence in 2025. It is anticipated to be completed within 24- 36 months after completion of necessary technical work.
Sir, please allow me to express the Fiji Government’s appreciation to the people and Government of China for their continued assistance and support.
I thank you Sir for the opportunity to deliver this Ministerial Statement on the Vanua Levu Roads Project.
Vina’a Va’alevu, Dhaanyavaad & Shukria.