Eleven community-based organisations in Tavua were awarded Multi‑Ethnic Grants totalling $74,582.16 yesterday, the Ministry of Multi‑Ethnic Affairs announced, as the government moves to fund small infrastructure and safety projects aimed at strengthening social cohesion and basic services in local communities.
Minister for Public Enterprises, Multi‑Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts Charan Jeath Singh, who oversees the grants programme, said he was confident the recipient groups would use the funds effectively to benefit the wider public. “I trust that you will utilise these grants well, and I am hopeful that they will contribute meaningfully towards promoting social cohesion within your communities,” Mr Singh said, adding that the injections of cash would help community‑based organisations strengthen operations and deliver services that had in some cases been overlooked.
Projects funded under the latest round include borehole construction to improve water access, solar street and community lighting to bolster safety and mobility, cemetery renovations and upgrades to temples. These installations are intended both to meet urgent practical needs and to deliver visible, shared benefits across ethnic lines in Tavua, the ministry said.
Speaking on behalf of the Nasivi community, Anasa Harold — president of the GP Boys Club — welcomed the solar lighting grant and described the immediate security benefits residents expect. “It has been very difficult to move around after dark. There have been incidents where people were robbed while returning home from work or going to nearby shops,” Mr Harold said. “This project will light up our community and allow people to move around at night without fear. On behalf of the Nasivi community, I sincerely thank the Government and the Ministry of Multi‑Ethnic Affairs for this support.”
The $74,582.16 allocation averages roughly $6,780 per organisation, although the ministry said funding levels vary according to project scope and community need. By targeting a mix of small infrastructure and community facilities, officials said the grants are intended to be practical, quick‑impact interventions that also encourage local groups to build capacity and cooperate across ethnic lines.
The distribution in Tavua is the latest development in the ministry’s Multi‑Ethnic Grants programme, which the government has positioned as a tool for grassroots development and social unity. Officials stressed that these small, locally driven projects are designed to complement larger public works by addressing everyday needs that might otherwise be overlooked, particularly in peri‑urban and rural settlements.
Recipients and community leaders at yesterday’s distribution reiterated expectations that the projects will be implemented promptly and transparently. With safety, water access and communal spaces singled out as priorities, ministry sources say monitoring and follow‑up visits will be scheduled to ensure funds are used as intended and to measure community impact over the coming months.
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