PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says an investment from Google is projected to create more than 3600 jobs by 2030.
Speaking at the Google ICT Facility groundbreaking ceremony in Natadola yesterday, Mr Rabuka said these were opportunities for people to gain skills.
“They are not just jobs, but they are opportunities for our people to gain skills, contribute meaningfully and also secure their future,” Mr Rabuka said.
“Moreover, the anticipative contribution of $US250million ($F566.4m) to Fiji’s GDP by 2030, is a testament to the scale and important impact of this project.
“This boost will ripple through key factors such as supporting the development of the business process outsource (BPO) and knowledge process outsource (KPO) sectors.”
Mr Rabuka said improving digital connectivity and resilience was crucial in boosting Fiji’s fast growing BPO and KPO sectors.
Google network infrastructure vice president and Pacific Connect Initiative chairman Brian Quigley said Google would invest in four submarine cables.
“We will be laying a cable from Natadola across the ocean floor to Los Angeles, California,” Mr Quigley said.
“The ship is in route, and you should see it in the Natadola Bay in early January.
“We will also be building a cable from Natadola across the Pacific Island to Valparaiso, Chile, which is the first cable connecting South America to the Indo Pacific. It doesn’t exist today, and it will come here.”
Mr Quigley said they were building a third cable to connect to Australia and a fourth cable that goes through Guam and the Mariannas to Japan.
“Those cables are part of the Pacific Connect Initiative that creates Fiji as the digital hub to connect all 18 islands and countries.
“Later this month, we’ll be landing the very first submarine cable in Tuvalu.
“Today they only have satellite, and that cable will connect here to allow them to access the internet that all of you know.”
