MORE than 10,000 Fijians currently live in 23 informal settlements within Suva.
This was according to the newly-launched Suva City Council (SCC) Voluntary Local Review (VLR) report which revealed that over 16 percent of the combined Suva-to-Nausori population reside in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing conditions.
Addressing the issue at the launch, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Local Government Seema Sharma pointed to a lack of long-term urban planning as a key contributor to the housing crisis.
“The problem isn’t just housing shortages, it’s the absence of proper urban planning,” Ms Sharma said.
“Informal settlements are expanding because many Fijians simply cannot afford homes.”
She said there is a need for forward-thinking urban development that anticipates future population growth, job availability, service accessibility, and quality of life.
“When councils plan urban areas, they can’t just look five or 10 years ahead.
“They need to project 50 years into the future to properly allocate resources and build infrastructure that supports sustainable growth.”
Ms Sharma said having a clear urban development blueprint would guide decisions on where to locate housing, industry, and commerce, ensuring investments in infrastructure are both strategic and effective.
“So you (council) need to plan your city’s 50 years in advance.
“You need to think about what your projections are going to be 50 years from now.
“And that would help better plan and allocate the resources in the right places.”
