Ro Filipe Tuisawau [Source: Fiji Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services/Facebook]

The Ministry of Infrastructure is exploring ways to outsource road and utility project contracts to villagers and youths.

Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau suggests that instead of hiring foreign companies to clear drains and bushes, the Fiji Roads Authority and the Water Authority of Fiji could utilize the services of villagers in the respective areas.

Ro Filipe emphasizes increasing the participation of resource owners in the economic cycle.

“Moving forward, we need to involve the landowners in the activities of, for example, entities such as Fiji Roads Authority contracts; vegetation clearing on the roadside can be done by the Yavusas.”

Ro Filipe says they want coordination that brings tangible results.

“We have been talking about development, there’s been a lot of talk, but we need to include landowners and resource owners to participate in the economy. So for the ministry of public works, we will do it for the roads going through their Yavusa land; we can include them in the contracts for roadside clearing.”

Apart from this, the Ministry is also proposing that the FRA buy its gravel and other raw materials for road projects directly from the resource owners.

The Ministry’s end goal is to boost the domestic economy.