News

Transport Ministry allocated over $112m

November 6, 2015 12:02 am

The Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has been allocated $112.2 million in next year’s budget.

With $61.4m has been allocated for operations and $56.7m has been allocated for capital expenditure and increase of $9.2m of the 2015 level.

Finance Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says this is mainly due an increase in the operating cost of the Land Transport Authority and new capital expenditures.

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The operating grant for LTA is increased from $15m to $18m and its capital grant has increased to $6.5m for new projects.

The operating grant for the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji has been increased to $2.5m and government shipping services is funded at $22m.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the government shipping services will also receive $5m to purchase a new vessel. The government is amending the law to allow for older, refurbished vessels that meet maritime safety standards to be imported in Fiji.

The Fiji Meteorological Services has been provided a new allocation of $1.3m to replace the aging Nadi radar antenna components.

The Fiji Roads Authority has been allocated $635.7m in 2016.

Sayed-Khaiyum says for the first time an agreement has been reached between all the four divisional commissioners and the FRA – where they have identified roads that needs immediate repair and $50m has been allocated specifically for the maintenance of rural roads.

Street lighting improvement program has been allocated $1.1m.