THE proposed upgrade of Nadi from a township to a city will proceed with the backing of traditional leaders and the Government, says Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa.
Mr Nalumisa made the comment during a stakeholder consultation on the proposed Nadi City Declaration this week, after Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Lawrence Kumar questioned the urgency of the move.
Mr Kumar asked: “What is the rush?”
In response, Mr Nalumisa said the proposal had the blessings of Nadi’s chiefs and the Government.
“The simple answer is this: we have the blessings of the chiefs, whom we need to respect, as well as the blessings of the Government,” he said.
“So, we will need to go ahead with that.
“What we need to do now is get the views of all of you, not just one, to ensure that this goes ahead.”
Mr Nalumisa said corporate bodies also supported the initiative and urged stakeholders to move forward with the proposed upgrade.
Nadi is expected to be officially declared a city in December 2026, following Cabinet’s endorsement of the proposal to upgrade its municipal status.
