Caption: Residents of Ledrusasa with Minister for Local Government and Housing Parveen Kumar after the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo: KATHRIN KRISHNA.
By KATHRIN KRISHNA
Residents of Ledrusasa in Votualevu, Nadi are now looking forward to better days with proper roofing over their heads.
Their delight stemmed from the first stage of development of land that would cater for a new housing project initiated by Government.
Minister for Local Government and Housing Parveen Kumar officiated as the chief guest for the groundbreaking ceremony in the village.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kumar promised the residents better housing facilities for all.
“The project is targeted to have 78 residential lots, an open space and a civic or religious lot,” he said.
“Upon completion, 78 eligible tenants or 390 people will have access to fully serviced housing lots with 99 years residential leases,” he added.
Resident Azlim Ali said this initiative from the government shows what all they can deliver to the citizens.
“I thank the government for all they have done for us and people in this settlement have been blessed with what you have provided them and I thank the government for giving us more than what we had asked for,” he said.
Turaga Na Mataqali Yavusasivo, Saunaka Isaia Saukuru said the villagers had gone through a tough phase in life before this initiative by the government was taken.
“When they came here the first day they were crying and now what the government has done has brought smiles to their face,” he said.
“Their lease expired 15 years ago and at the same time we had the other victims who had been moving around Fiji looking for a place to settle in”.
“A lot of problems were faced from the different tikina’s especially from the western division”.
“I was able to give them land but most of them did not have enough money to buy the land but I didn’t chase them out from here because I knew that one day something like this will happened,” he added.
“I thank the government for this assistance and I am very happy as a land owner that something like this for the first time ever is been done here in my land”.
“My advice to other landowners is for them to work together and build our country Fiji”.
The project is expected to be completed by August, 2016.