NADI’S elevation to city status is expected to bring significant infrastructure improvements and attract more ratepayers, says Minister for Local Government Maciu Nalumisa.
Mr Nalumisa said the process to elevate Nadi from a town to a city began in 2016 following a request by the Nadi Town Council.
“Nadi is really a vibrant town,” he said.
He said Nadi had met the population threshold stipulated under the Local Government Act 1972, with the 2017 census recording more than 42,000 people in the Nadi town area.
“One of the requirements, as per Local Government Act of 1972, is for a town to be declared a city, the population has to be not less than 20,000 people.
“If you look at the 2017 census, the population around the Nadi town area is more than 42,000 people.”
He said ongoing developments, including new hotel projects around Wailoaloa and Denarau, as well as development along Nadi’s back road, reflected the town’s growing economic activity.
“The elevation declaration of Nadi to become a city is something that is good for the people of Nadi because that will come with a lot of infrastructural improvements.”
He said the Government was also working on a revised town planning scheme following the extension of Nadi’s town boundaries in 2018. Mr Nalumisa said the revised scheme was expected to bring more ratepayers into the town’s jurisdiction, benefiting residents and businesses.
