October 16, 2019
A Commission of Inquiry will reveal how multi-millions of dollars has been mismanaged and wasted by the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) from the few billions of dollars given to it by the Bainimarama regime and the Fiji First government since 2012, said the National Federation Party.
NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad said the FRA has been “guzzling” taxpayers’ funds and the executive management “sitting in their ivory tower and enjoying fat salaries while our roads and streets have deteriorated to the extent of not being safe for the ever-growing traffic numbers”.
“FRA CEO should stop playing the blame game to disguise his own colossal failure in doing the job that he is supposed to”.
“FRA is the creation of the Bainimarama regime that was initially allocated as high as $653 million annually in each budget. In the last two years it has been given $528 million per year”.
“Projects like new roads and bridges have been built at exorbitant prices. For example $166 million was used to build 4 kilometres of four lane road from Nadi Airport to Martintar”.
“Despite expressing concern and finding out the truth, this Government kept on pumping money into this project”.
“What we see around the country and in our municipalities, particularly Suva, are roads and streets filled with pot-holes that resemble craters on the moon or lovo pits”.
“This is not a result of our roads being too old. It is a result of not prioritising maintenance and in the case of road works being carried out by contractors charging exorbitant prices, encouraging poor workmanship, using sub-standard material and applying quick-fix solutions”.
“This has resulted in the state of decay of our road network. The workmanship is a far cry from what was being carried out by Public Works Department and the municipal councils on streets within their boundaries”.
“Ironically, the Land Transport Authority is now advising motorists on how to drive on pot-hole filled roads to minimise damage to their vehicles! The LTA CEO, also on a fat salary, encourages motorists to take photographs of pot holes from many dimensions!”.
“This is the most ridiculous advice that any road user has ever heard”.
“What we are seeing, hearing and experiencing is a result of a cash-strapped, patchwork government only good at strategizing low-hanging fruits on level 9”.
“This is the tragedy that the people of Fiji will have to bear till the next elections”.
Authorised by:
Hon. Prof. Biman Prasad
Leader
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