Work has begun on a roughly $10.66 million upgrade of Delaisaweni Settlement in Lautoka, a government-backed project aimed at transforming the informal community with new roads, drainage and basic services designed to make the area safer and more climate-resilient.
Officials say the multi-million-dollar programme will install proper road access, improved drainage systems and basic service connections to create a more structured and sustainable residential environment. The upgrades are intended to reduce flooding and hazards during severe weather, and to improve residents’ day-to-day access to services that informal settlements often lack.
The Delaisaweni works form part of a wider government initiative to upgrade informal settlements across Fiji, emphasising inclusive development and climate resilience. Earlier national efforts under the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) programme have targeted features such as rock-lined drains, footpaths, boardwalks, communal sewer tanks and pressure tanks, demonstrating the range of technical responses authorities are deploying in low-lying and waterlogged communities.
Government officials have stressed that the success of the Delaisaweni upgrade will depend on continued cooperation between landowners, contractors, development partners and community leaders. Residents have been urged to remain engaged during the construction phase so that works reflect local priorities and do not unintentionally disrupt livelihoods or access to housing.
The announcement of the Lautoka project follows recent upgrades elsewhere, including a housing upgrade in Ba’s Valewaquyaya settlement and the selection of six other informal settlements for targeted RISE works. Those earlier projects underlined the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s stated commitment to securing land tenure, basic infrastructure and safer living environments for vulnerable communities — priorities officials say the Delaisaweni programme will advance locally.
No completion date or detailed construction timetable has been released, but project planners say the emphasis will be on resilience measures that can withstand extreme weather events and on establishing durable service connections that facilitate long-term improvements in health and safety. As construction continues, authorities and community representatives will remain the focal points for decisions about design details and sequencing, officials added.
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