News

Quality materials important for resilient infrastructure

February 7, 2019 12:37 pm

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Ashneel Sudhakar

Quality materials are extremely important to build resilient infrastructure that will have a long lasting impact on our country.

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Ashneel Sudhakar says quality materials withstand the destructive force of a natural disaster like a Tropical Cyclone and the adverse impact of global warming.

Sudhakar says the African Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Development Minerals Programme has been implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme.

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He says the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme funded a baseline assessment of development minerals in Fiji which was conducted by The Pacific Community.

“The study has addressed the importance of the Development Minerals for our economy. Development Minerals could contribute up to around 369 Million FJD per year and provide direct employment for at least 2325 citizens. The Development Minerals, once called “Neglected Development Minerals’’ are no longer neglected and overlooked.”

Sudhakar says the Ministry will ensure due attention and care is extended to this sector for the development of the country and for the benefit of Fijians.

The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is an initiative of the ACP Group of States which is funded by the European Union.