First, let’s bust the popular myth that the Prime Minister’s office block will cost $7m.
A more realistic assessment of the cost for this highly controversial, luxury set of suites will likely be $50 million.
This misleading perception was created, deliberately or otherwise, in budget 2020/21 by an initial $7m allocation for the complex.
However, the budget estimates do show a projected allocation of further $7m for each of the years 22/23 – making a total outlay of $21m.
This again is grossly under-quoting the cost. I am reliably informed by well-placed architects and civil engineers that, judging from the design concept for the building, it is more likely to cost about $50m, if not more, with a completion time in excess of three years under the current condition.
It stands to reason. If our three-storey police stations at Nakasi, Nadi and Lautoka are projected to cost around $30m and upwards, it is hardly likely that a 5-storey ultra-modern office complex for the Prime Minister, with a host of other paraphernalia such as conference and entertainment rooms, staff offices and the like, will cost anything less.
So let’s not delude ourselves that this luxury office block for the PM will be completed at a cost of anywhere near $7m, or $21m for that matter. .
Having said that, I join my voice to the chorus of other critics who have denounced the decision to proceed with the construction of the complex considering the hardship and difficulties the nation is facing.
Luxury in the face of poverty
On humanitarian grounds alone, one must condemn the decision to proceed with such lavish spending at a time when the nation is battling its worst Covid-19 related crisis, with lockdowns and closure of business activities in all our major centres.
Fiji has practically come to a standstill. Thousands of workers have lost jobs or are unable to go to work because of Covid related restrictions on the movement of people.
They are crying out for assistance for food and other basic necessities to survive.
This is not the time for Nero to be fiddling while Rome burns, so to speak.
How insensitive of the Fiji First Party government, right in the midst of this catastrophe, to place advertisements calling for expressions of interest for the construction of the PM’s new office block?
It shows not only a clear lack of empathy for the suffering our people are going through, but also that the government is hell-bent on furthering its own ego by pushing this highly controversial project through at a time the nation cannot afford or justify it.
It is also morally and ethically wrong, when the government is surviving on grants and loans from donor countries and international financial institutions, for it to be wasting donated or borrowed money on a luxury office for the prime minister.
Obviously, since the State has no funds of its own, it will be using borrowed money for the construction.
How prudent or sensible is it to borrow for such unnecessary schemes when our already mammoth public debt burden is considered unsustainable by financial experts?
No doubt the Australian taxpayers who have donated millions of dollars for budget support must be wondering whether it is worth their while assisting a government with such a bizarre sense of priorities.
We hope that good counsel will prevail and that the government will shelve its decision to build until after the economy and the people have recovered.
In any event, there is not much wrong with the PM’s present premises on the fourth floor of Government Buildings – it can suffice for a while yet.
Structure
The location for the proposed office is the National Trust site on Selbourne St – an old colonial structure that used to be the
Girls Grammar School but post independence served for some years as headquarters for the Ministry of Education.
For a heritage site, it is sadly neglected and is virtually falling apart.
The project architects were under instructions to preserve the original structure of the building and to design around it.
The overall administration of the project is in the hands of the Construction Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Economy.
In September last year, I had written to its head, Mohammed Intaz Shah, seeking answers to questions I had on this very project.
I have not, to date heard from him, even in acknowledgement of my letter.
Such refusal on the part of public officers to acknowledge or provide information requested on public projects breeds mistrust.
It points to a lack of accountability in the conduct of their affairs.
Little wonder reputable industry sources have, time and again, commented on a perceived lack of transparency in the award of government contracts.
I have always been rather sceptical about this Unit.
I believe its activities need to be properly reviewed, its staff and tenders process properly screened and its accounts properly audited.
- MAHENDRA P. CHAUDHRY is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and former prime minister of Fiji. The views expressed are his and may not necessarily be shared by this newspaper.
