Riya Mala 
File Photo
The Minister for Public Works, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, says the Public Works Department has been re-established following Cabinet’s decision.
He explains that PWD teams are now actively working on several rural roads to improve access for communities.
Ro Filipe says that divisional offices have also been re-opened and are operating under divisional engineers, who are overseeing works and preparing further upgrades.
He adds the re-establishment of PWD will strengthen the government’s ability to respond quickly to infrastructure needs, especially in rural and remote areas.
“It’s a progressive re-establishment because some of its properties are still with the Ministry of Civil Service and with some other ministries. So it’s working out the best arrangement in terms of efficiencies and effectiveness. There’s also the budget process that we have to go through.”
Ro Filipe says that at the moment, the Public Works Department is working alongside the Fiji Roads Authority, complementing each other in the areas they cover rather than duplicating efforts.
He adds that this approach is being rolled out progressively to ensure the best use of financial resources, while also making sure that all necessary road works and property maintenance are properly addressed.
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