The excerpt of the FT article:
$6.4m burden
MARY JOHNS
Friday, November 30, 2007
PREPARATORY work on a new official residence to house prime ministers would have cost more than $1million, former Government officials confirmed yesterday. And files in the Prime Ministers Office show that around $6.4million would have been spent on the total project.
Close to $500,000 in consultancy fees should have paid in May this year. Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said the proposed home was unnecessary.
He also accused deposed prime minister Laisenia Qarase of spearheading the plan for the official residence. When approached last night Mr Qarase said: "I've never seen the plan. There was nothing authorised. Who was the architect?"
Documents released by the interim administration office showed that taxpayers would have paid $1.5million for an official residence for the head of government. Located on 2.4 hectares of State land at Muanikau, the proposed home would have been the centerpiece of a traditional-style homestead.
Additional costs included:
- $1.4m public entertainment area and $850,000 for a block fence around the property;
- $140,000 for a driveway, according to estimates by the Public Works Department;
- $200,000 on mechanical services;
- $120,000 for the maintenance of existing quarters which would become part of the complex; and
- the swimming pool with associated change room and pump room was estimated to cost $400,000. Planners allocated $120,000 for a standby pump and generator, $150,000 for a security system, $70,000 for a garage and $150,000 for site works.
Other estimates were:
- $25,000 for a guardhouse;
- $130,000 for a bure or shed;
- $90,000 for landscaping'
- $100,000 for water and sewerage system;
- $15,000 for a water tank; and
- $75,000 for solar system.
Former chief executive officer in the Prime Minister's Office Jioji Kotobalavu said no one could estimate the cost of the project. "The design works were not done," he said. "If anyone wants proof, it's in the 2007 Budget because there was $1m allocated for the site preparatory works because the land is swampy. The residence was not for Mr Qarase personally and it should not be misconstrued."
Mr Kotobalavu said the Prime Minister's official residence on Richards Road leaked, was rat-infested and not suitable for a prime minister. He said plans had been made to hold a public competition for architects to design the official residence because the house would belong to the people of Fiji.
The interim administration said the plans for the home were made at a time when the country could not afford such a project. Fiji is the only country in the Pacific that does not have an official residence for the Prime Minister.
Reactions to the FT article was in their web site's "Have Your Say" column.
Below are selected posts, which are overwhelming against the project:
Ratu Peni Gavidi of Suva, Fiji (3 hours and 4 minutes ago)
Its not whether Qarase as PM should have an official residence. It is a matter of principle. To spend such a huge amount on a house when the country is swimming in poverty, is it just? Even Prime Ministers of some of the most wealthy nations dont have residences that Qarase wanted for himself.
A Prime Minister should be seen as being careful with the citizens money and not to impress his family and friends and the rest of the world how lavish is his lifestyle. Qarase if he wanted to could have spent far less to repair his leaky roof if he wanted to.
He was not living in a tent, but because he has access to peoples' money, he didnt give two hoots to improve the lives of the general population.His personal living is all that mattered. Those seeking corruption evidence should seal their lips as this is one of them. Its flagrant disregard for citizens money. Keep going Frank!!
prem singh of papatoetoe auckland (4 hours and 47 minutes ago)
What a stupid suggestion that it was for fijian people.How many ordinary fijians have seen houses like that?yes in dreams.Another coverup by LQ.Just lies after lies.Why cant they admit it was for LQ.
Don't they have guts? Why drag all common people to hide behind.Have some guts and face the pain. good on the present govt.keep the pressure on and let all common fijians see for themselves what was done behind their backs.God is always fair and he will help.look after the poor and their blessings are more than anything to fight crime.God Bless.
alisi waqa of Suva (4 hours and 50 minutes ago)
What more do you nexpect from Qarase? Increased VAT,controversial bills to appease communal bigots,religious bigotary,institunalised discrimination,on going plots against the Fijian Army,hoodwinking the masses ..the list can go on and on
We know that Corruption and explotation are close cousins.
vulagi of United States (4 hours and 52 minutes ago)
Please no Official Residence for PM because they don't last.Divert that money to help the poor.Eveyone should sacrifice inorder to archive our goal ie A Better Fiji for Everyone.I beg you leaders just live in your residence during this hard times and don't use big pajeros for official car. The cost of those expensive vehicles could boost the schoolarship fund at PSC to educate more doctors.
Other cost breakdowns for the project was outlined in a Fiji Village article.
The excerpt of the Fiji Village article:
Qarase denies claims
The plans for the Official Prime Minister's home to be built by the Qarase led government has been made public with estimates of the costs for the construction of the official residence.
Plans that were prepared for the proposed new residence back in November 2006 have been revealed with estimates for the construction of the home and various facilities.
The total amount stands at $6.44 million dollars. The estimates include $1.4 million for the construction of a 892.5 square meter Public Entertainment area, a semi private residence costing $1.52 million dollars, a swimming pool valued at $400,000, a $130,000 bose vakatunuloa or meeting house, a $140,000 driveway and car parking area, a $150,000 security system, a stand by generator and pump worth $120,000, consultancy fees amounting to $585,500, mechanical services amounting to $200,000 and a 1,675 meters block work boundary fence valued at $850,000.
The design plans were made in November 2006 and the estimates are based on requested forwarded in September last year. There was no approved plan in place for the official house to be built so I do not know why there is a lot of fuss over the plan to build an official residence for the Prime Minister.
Speaking to Village news, Ousted Prime minster, Laisenia Qarase said that the Interim Prime Minister should realize that plans were not even drawn up for the new residence. Qarase also revealed that the house would not be his personal property but an assets of the Government and the Interim Administration should consider carrying this out.
Former Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's office, Jioji Kotobalavu has clarified that proper planning for the official residence of the Prime Minister was not complete last year.
[Kotobalavu] told Village News this morning that a piece of land was identified and one million dollars was allocated in this year’s budget by the ousted SDL government for initial works at the site. [Kotobalavu] said the 6.4 million dollars highlighted for the complex could only be an estimate.
This is the excerpt of Ft editorial:
A home for us all
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Friday, November 30, 2007
THE nation must provide the prime minister with an official residence commensurate with the position of head of government. Recent revelations show that the last official home of the prime minister was in a deplorable state during its occupancy.
The roof leaked and the residence failed to meet Occupational Health and Safety standards. It was not possible for the head of government to host dignitaries, let alone international guests, at the official home.
There is little wonder that the Richards Road facility did not meet standards expected of a prime minister's domicile. The archaic colonial structure was at various stages in its history a minister's home, the headquarters for a regional broadcasting organisation and the residence of functionaries within the colonial service.
No prime minister of Fiji should have to put up with the indignity of living in a leaking home. No head of government should be forced to host guests outside of the official residence just because the home is less than dignified.
The Governor of the Reserve Bank, several heads of diplomatic missions and chief executives of large multinational companies have better homes than the quarters provided for the prime minister.
Commodore Frank Bainimarama is fortunate that he wears two hats for his hat as commander of the army affords him better accommodation than his predecessor in the Prime Minister's Office.
The fact remains, however, that there is no official residence for the prime minister. Before Fiji elects its next government, the nation must build a new home for the person who will lead the nation.
The residence must be a place where international heads of state can be entertained in comfort and style. It should also be a resting place for someone shouldered with the burdens of State.
This is a home which belongs to the people of Fiji, not the incumbent, and it must reflect the dignity of all the people of this multicultural nation. At the same time consideration must be given to security and the need to host large functions which involve members of the public.
As the interim government takes the country towards democracy, it must not forget that the time will come for an elected head of Fiji. That person, like the President, must have a home of which we can all be proud.
For certain the FT Editorial's flawed concept of providing an official residence for the deposed PM borders on 'keeping up with the Jones'. Especially so, when the Editorial compares the size of the Reserve Bank Governor's house with the current PM's residence at Richards Rd.
If, the roof of the Richards Road property is leaking as the FT editorial claims and was declared non-compliant using the Occupational Health & Safety standards; then by all means the roof should be replaced, but certainly not the entire house.
When the most of Fiji are coming to terms with the repeated water cuts, simply because of the aging infrastructure and when down-stream water pipes are literally bursting at the seams; it seems more prudent to fix the problem that affects the majority of people than considering to build a palace for a single person. Of course, prudent thinking is not the strong suite of the FT Editor, for even cordoning such extravagance and wasteful spending.
Fiji Times article even interviews the Divisional Engineer Water Engineer. This is the excerpt:
Engineer reveals cause of water woes
Friday, November 30, 2007
Image (L)Divisional water engineer, Samuela Tubui in Wailoku yesterday
THE Waila and Tamavua reservoirs have 140 mega liters of water more than enough to cater for the 350,000 people living in the Suva-Nausori corridor, says acting Divisional Water Engineer Samuela Tubui.
Mr Tubui said the problem was not the lack of water but the ability to get that water to homes. In the past three weeks, residents at Cunningham have had their supply cut at night while residents of Nasinu have suffered disruptions since Saturday. Not all of them have had water carted to their homes because of the large area affected.
Mr Tubui said the main problem was the leaks in pipes and the breakdown of water pumps at the various pumping stations.
"We are in the process of buying two new pumps for the Savura and Waimanu pumping station and this is an effort to prevent prolonged water cuts like the one experienced over the past week," he said.
Mr Tubui said they had repaired the damaged and leaking pipes and water supply to affected areas had been restored. "The past few days had been very challenging for us because the pump at the Waila pumping station had a breakdown but that has been fixed."
Mr Tubui said the two new pumps, estimated to cost $230,000 each, would help the existing water pumps at Savura and Waimanu pump water to homes and ease the pressure. He said another project that was ongoing was the rehabilitation of Tamavua and Waila stations.
"The main idea behind this project is to improve the efficiency of the service provided by the two stations," he said.
End of story
It is obvious that the Fiji Times Editor places more value in the construction of a new PM's residence than, providing solutions to the plight of the ordinary people who have been plagued by reoccurring and unending water problems.
The rationale employed by the FT Editor is called 'living beyond your means' and the Editor should be ridiculed for placing the luxury of the deposed PM, well above the needs and concerns of the entire nation.
Labelling the proposed PM's residence as a "Home For Us All" is misleading, as well as grossly insulting to the intelligence of the grassroots, most of whom still resort to drinking water from wells and wash their clothes in the nearby rivers and streams.
While it is acknowledged that, the Head of State should have a residence worthy of entertaining diplomatic visitors; then it is logical to have those State functions held at the President's house, since he is the head of State, not the Prime Minister.
The President official residence is relatively large enough to cater for those functions as it did during the past held garden parties, so why waste valuable resources to build another Ivory tower, when there are other avenues available that may be more feasible and cost-effective.
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