THE new multimillion Laqere market in Nasinu is earmarked to be completed and opened by mid-October this year, Minister for Local Government Parveen Kumar confirmed.
In an interview with this newspaper, Mr Kumar said the project neared completion with the Laqere market building itself “was almost done”.
The landmark development began around August last year with its groundbreaking and commencement of preliminary construction and earthworks.
Initially, it had an estimated cost of $4.3 million.
The project is expected to include stalls for about 400 vendors with small kiosks and a fish market.
Mr Kumar said they also had encountered “some problems” with the tables for vendors.
He said they were working with project partners to see how best and fast they could get the tables sorted for the market vendors.
“We have spent around $5million on the market and the surrounding however it is not about the construction cost as the whole idea of the market was to get all these road side vendors to one place,” said Mr Kumar.
He said the existing Nasinu market was not large enough to cater for the largest municipality in Fiji.
The market development has been hailed as a breakthrough for most existing vendors at the old roadside market in Laqere.
The new Laqere market, when fully completed, is expected to serve as the modern and functional hub of economic activity in Nasinu.
