THE development of a multi-million-dollar swimming pool was part of a wider plan to turn Lautoka into a sports city.
Former local government minister Premila Kumar said this paved the way for the construction of a pool at the botanical gardens, at a projected cost of $2million.
Between 2017 and 2018, spending on the construction of the pool has ballooned to $12.6million.
She said the project was not without its challenges.
“You need to understand the root cause of the problem,” she said.
“When we build our own house, we go through so many difficulties with the contractor.
“Sometimes, the contractors run away with our money and sometimes the builders do not pay the contractor.
“Now a similar situation is faced with the Lautoka swimming pool where there was a dispute between the contractors and the Lautoka City Council.
“The dispute was there, and the dispute had to be solved.”
She said LCC’s vision for a sports city was the driving force behind the project.
“At that time, there were students from Australia and New Zealand who used to come and play sports in Lautoka and for that reason, the mission, vision and the thinking was to develop Lautoka City as a sports city.
“Everything was working in that direction.
“Initially, the plan was to build a community swimming pool and then it was changed to an aquatic centre – Olympic international standard.
“Of course, the cost will go up.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica said the swimming pool was riddled with problems.
“They are talking about this and that but, in fact, I heard that the swimming pool was not even to the correct measurement. It was short by about 10 centimetres or something. It was short, and that is
why the rectification is taking place. So, stop meandering around and saying this and that.”
