CAPTION: Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum seen during the official opening of the Higgins Nadi depot. Photos: MARGARET NAQIRI.
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By SHALENDRA PRASAD
NADI, Wednesday, June 12, 2013. The Fijian government has allocated a massive budget of $420 million for road and bridge construction, maintenance and repairs.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama made the revelation while officially opening the Nadi depot of New Zealand based civil and road contractors – Higgins (Fiji) Limited.
Higgins has been contracted by the government to carry out all road works in the western division and work carried out by the company has already impressed not only the government but thousands of people who use the roads every day.
In order to carry out work efficiently, Higgins now has a depot based in all towns of the entire western division.
“Fixing Fiji’s roads is among my Government’s top priorities. So I’m delighted to be here this morning to open the Nadi depot for one of the overseas contractors undertaking this task – the Higgins Company of New Zealand,” Prime Minister Bainimarama said.
Prime Minister Bainimarama officially opens the new depot while Tui Nadi Ratu Sailosi Dawai and Higgins chairman Sir Patrick Higgins look on. Photo: MARGARET NAQIRI.
He said Higgins will be achieving greater results in the coming few months.
“Yes it’s taking time to attend to every job. The neglect, the inefficiency and corruption of previous years cannot be fixed overnight. But the work that was so badly needed has begun in earnest and we’re all starting to see the results,” Prime Minister Bainimarama added.
He said government is committed to this massive project – in the West as well as in the rest of Fiji – because the state of our roads impacts the health of our entire economy and the life of every Fijian.
Sharing similar sentiments, Higgins chairman Sir Patrick Higgins said the company has already invested millions of dollars in bringing in the best machinery required to carry out road works.
“We are here to assure that we will deliver what is expected and we are proud to be associated with this project,” Sir Patrick said.
“We wish to thank the government for awarding Higgins this opportunity to be part of the development.”
(MORE COVERAGE TO FOLLOW IN OUR NEXT PRINT EDITION)