The tender process for Fiji’s affordable housing project has officially closed, according to Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad.
Professor Prasad mentioned that the government anticipated bids from both local and international contractors.
Speaking on The Lens@177 this week, Professor Prasad indicated that a decision would be made soon.
However, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that this public-private partnership for housing is effective.
“As we saw with Aspen, which was managed poorly, hospitals were handed over to a company without fulfilling the agreement,” said Professor Prasad.
“As I mentioned in Parliament, we want to ensure that the housing PPP is a viable model, but we must scrutinize the financial model carefully.”
“This is crucial so that once the project is delivered, it provides affordable housing for various categories of people and income levels. If it proves successful, it could become a future model.”
“And if we determine that the financial model is not viable, we will explore other methods and avenues to ensure affordable housing for our population.”
Professor Prasad admitted he did not know who had bid for the project but noted that it is a significant initiative, and overseas contractors were expected to participate.
To attract these bids, roadshows were conducted in Australia, New Zealand, and India.
“We hope that some strong contenders will bid for the project and that the financial model they present will be sustainable and acceptable to the government. Additionally, we aim for the financial model to be beneficial and satisfactory for the people who will benefit from it.”