The Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma has officially opened a new service station in Davuilevu, marking the first phase of a broader Davuilevu Stage 2 commercial development within the Housing Authority subdivision. The site sits on just over a quarter of an acre and is one of two commercial plots the church has secured for the expansion.
Sereana Qoro, chief executive of Lako Yani Vou Management, explained that the church obtained development rights to these commercial plots through negotiations during the initial lease process. She noted that about 3.6 million Fiji dollars have already been spent on building construction and the fuel systems. The service station is equipped with four fuel pumps, including a middle pump and separate dispensers for kerosene and premix, allowing eight vehicles to refuel simultaneously.
The project’s origins trace back to 2020 when Mobil Oil approached the church with a proposal to establish the service station, agreeing to contribute half a million dollars to the effort and paying 450,000 dollars to help launch construction. The entire system will be computerized and linked to the Methodit Church office in Epworth House for monitoring.
This Davuilevu service station is the opening phase of Davuilevu Stage 2, part of a wider plan that envisions additional commercial development, including a shopping complex and the eventual Lako Yani 10-storey building. Related plans reveal that a major project—the Stewart Street building in Suva, valued at about 46 million dollars—will be completed by 2026, while the Davuilevu site is targeted for completion within the 2025 timeframe.
The broader strategy is designed to generate funds to support the church’s mission and communities, including efforts to help members cope with rising living costs and stagnant wages. Beyond the Davuilevu development, the church’s long-term expansion plans also contemplate ventures such as a broadcasting company for television and radio in the coming five to ten years.
This move signals the church’s broader approach to leveraging church-owned land and commercial ventures to sustain its community work while contributing to local economic development in Davuilevu and the wider Suva area.
What this means for the community and the church
– The service station provides a tangible revenue stream to support social and religious programs.
– The Davuilevu Stage 2 development could bring jobs and business activity to the area, complementing the Housing Authority subdivision.
– The broader ambition, including a possible shopping complex and a 10-storey building, highlights a long-term vision that could reshape Davuilevu’s economic landscape.
– If successful, the model may enable continued community support without relying solely on congregational levies.
Editor’s note: The Davuilevu project aligns with similar multi-project efforts already underway across Fiji’s Methodist Church, as outlined in parallel plans for the Stewart Street tower, Furnival Park developments, and potential broadcasting ventures. These initiatives collectively emphasize a mission-driven approach to sustainable development that balances community help with strategic investment.
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