[Photo: FILE]

The Ministry of Public Works says it does not know how much of the proposed Australian assistance will be available for Fiji’s infrastructure priorities under the proposed Vuvale Union.

Appearing before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Permanent Secretary Paula Baleilevuka said the ministry had not been provided with the ten-year development plan or a breakdown of the proposed assistance package.

The admission came after Committee Member Rinesh Sharma questioned how much of the funding would be provided through grants, how much would be concessional loans, and how much would be allocated to the Ministry of Public Works.

Baleilevuka said the ministry did not have that information.

He also said he had not personally been consulted in the formulation of the Vuvale Union documents.

“If you are referring to whether we were consulted in the formulation of the Vuvale, these documents, personally as a public secretary, I was not referred to. But I think that was the responsibility entrusted to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

Sharma then questioned how ministries could identify their priorities if the overall funding framework was unclear.

He said government agencies, including the Fiji Roads Authority and Land Transport Authority, should have been involved in developing a clear framework of priorities before negotiations.

Baleilevuka said the ministry has its own costed development plans.

However, he said without the ten-year development plan and funding details, the ministry could not determine whether its priorities had been included.

The Ministry of Public Works says its role under the proposed arrangements would be largely technical and implementation-focused, covering infrastructure, transport, maritime services, meteorology, climate resilience and critical infrastructure.

The team was appearing before the committee on the proposed Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance.