[File Photo]

A total of 319 building permits for construction valued at $60million were issued in the March quarter of this year.

However, when compared to the December quarter, the number of permits issued and the corresponding value of work declined by 11.4 and 9.5 percent respectively.

The highest number of permits were issued in the Central/Eastern divisions which accounted for 84.7 percent.

According to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, a total of 147 completion certificates valued at $23.5m were issued in the March quarter.

When compared to the December quarter it rose by 11.4 percent, whereas the value of construction associated with completion certificate declined by 56.3 percent.