New regulations, enacted this week by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, make housing assistance available to thousands of FNPF members who live on communally-owned land, supporting Government’s policy to give ordinary Fijians greater access to housing.
“Providing access to housing is one of the Bainimarama Government’s top priorities,” said the Prime Minister. “This new policy will allow thousands of Fijians the opportunity to build a new home or renovate an existing one,” he said.
The “Fiji National Provident Fund (Housing Finance Assistance) Regulations” allow an FNPF member who lives on any communally-owned land to apply for assistance to construct, renovate, or extend his or her house.
Previously, this housing assistance was available only to those FNPF members who lived within the boundaries of an iTaukei village as defined by the iTaukei Affairs Act, excluding Fijians wanting to build a home on communally-owned land outside of the village-proper, as well as Fijians living in non-iTaukei villages.
“Now, under these new regulations, housing assistance will be available to all Fijians who live on any piece of land that is communally owned, or owned in partnership with others,” said the Prime Minister.
“Not only does this policy support Government’s goal of access to housing for all Fijians, it is also in line with the right to housing provided for by the 2013 Constitution,” he said.
The housing assistance scheme allows an FNPF member to withdraw funds from his or her FNPF account to renovate, extend or construct a house that is occupied – or will be occupied – by that member.
MINFO