The Construction Implementation Unit was created by former Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum for the purpose of controlling the awarding of contracts.

This was said by Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau in Parliament in his budget response.

Ro Filipe says the ministry’s audit reports failed to substantiate whether there is a documented mandate or intent of the unit and whether it (CIU) was required to process all government agencies construction projects.

“However we were not able to substantiate any documented mandate or intent of the unit, except in the Ministry of Economy strategic plan, that validates the existence of the CIU. Clearly, this shows that the CIU was created by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum for control purposes, i.e in disbanding the PWD and to control the award of contracts, and we know to who. Of course that created overnight millionaires.”

MP Jone Usamate. 

In response, former Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate says the CIU was established by the FijiFirst government to centralize public works for the various government ministries.

“Sometimes there’s always a difference between centralizing things and de-centralizing things. Obviously, when you centralize things, you can get all the expertise together in one place, and then you can have similar standards or implementations across the different range of ministries.”

Ro Filipe says with the budget allocation of $5 million for the re-establishment of the Public Works Department, it will help increase manpower to cater for the growing demand of works, in particular, the upgrading of staff quarters and office buildings in the Central, Western and Northern divisions.

The CIU was disbanded in April this year as certain discrepancies were uncovered in its systems and processes.

According to Permanent Secretary for Civil Service Parmesh Chand, certain functions of the CIU have been taken over by the Ministry of Civil Service.

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