LAUTOKA City’s much touted but yet to be completed multimillion dollar swimming pool was once again under the spotlight as parliamentarians argued about which government was really wasting taxpayer funds.
The debate ensued after Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma alleged the Government planned to spend $4.5 million to downsize the swimming pool project.
The controversial pool project has been under the limelight after initial costs pegged at around $2 million escalated to $12.6 million between 2017 and 2018.
While presenting the Standing Committee on Social Affairs’ report on the review of the Ministry of Local Government Annual Report of 2018-2019, Mr Sharma, who is the chairperson, said $4.5 million was set aside in the national budget to complete the project.
There are reports circulating that some aspects of the project will be scrapped.
Minister for Local Government Maciu Nalumisa responded by confirming the pool would undergo a completely new re-scoping exercise. However, he did not say at what cost.
Mr Sharma said building an international standard swimming pool was the brainchild of the Lautoka City Council.
“For a pool to meet international standards and comply with Federation Internationale de Natation or International Swimming Federation (FINA) requirements. This was the reason for the construction cost to increase to $12.6 million. The Lautoka Swimming Pool concept was approved in January 2017, with construction beginning in 2018.”
Mr Sharma said, despite delays along the way like a global pandemic, the kids and training pool had been completed.
“In fact, some of these esteemed politicians harped about the financial mismanagement and waste of taxpayer’s money behind the Lautoka swimming pool project. It was part of most people’s election campaign and their social media.
“However, in the 2023-2024 National Budget, the Coalition Government sets aside $4.5 million for the completion of the pool.”
He said this was a rumoured disaster in waiting if not carefully addressed.
“In the past 16 months, after the $122 million turbine deal blunder, this is another rumoured disaster, one of the many.
“This is the level of wastage of taxpayers’ money under the Coalition Government just within 16 months. God forbid, can imagine 16 years of running a country.”
Mr Nalumisa said Mr Sharma was trying to justify some of the wrongdoings and mismanagement of only one capital project.
However, he said, the committee did raise a good point about the monitoring of projects overseen by municipal councils.
“The committee has also highlighted the need for municipal councils to complete the two major capital projects – the Lautoka Swimming Pool and Govind Park in Ba,” said Mr Nalumisa.
“The Coalition Government is committed to completing these capital projects.”
He said so far the Lautoka City Council had recalled the tender to engage the lead consultant who will oversee the project management and construction works.
“Upon finalisation of this process, the tender for the contractor will be published.
“But the report itself talks about four key findings of the report, and he should have focused more on those findings rather than focusing on a project that was disastrous in terms of the former Government.
“We are going to re-scope the project before we finalise all the details about the Lautoka swimming pool.”
