NEW BOARD OF SPECIAL ADMINISTRATORS

FOR SUVA INTRODUCED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER KUMAR

The newly appointed Board of Special Administrators for Suva were introduced during a special meeting of the Suva City Council (SCC) yesterday.

In introducing the new appointments the Minister for Local Government, Housing, Industry and Trade Premila Kumar welcomed the new board members. The board has four special administrators with Isikeli Tikoduadua being appointed as chairperson.

Mr Tikoduadua has a background in banking and has previously served as the chief executive officer of HFC bank.

The four special administrators are Janice Nand, Vilash Chand, Vimal Kumar and Kerry Mara. Minister Kumar said Ms Nand comes from a legal background while Mr Chand had been heading the Unit Trust of Fiji for many years.

Ms Mara is an educationist and also comes with experience in the area of project management and Mr Kumar, is a businessman, who has been running Daiichi Auto House Limited for many years.

Minister Kumar said SCC needed a group of people who could think collectively for the benefit of ratepayers, but also be able to make commercial decisions. “Commercial decisions are important,” Mrs Kumar said. “We cannot continue to run municipalities like a service centre whereby we only pick up rubbish, clean the drains, cut grass and approve some of the development projects.

“This is not what the ratepayers are expecting. They are expecting far more than what we are delivering at this stage.”

She added the role of the new team of special administrators would be just like any other councilors.

“They are capable people who have a wealth of experience in various areas,” she said.

Mrs Kumar added her trip to Auckland last week, was focused on trying to make connections with Auckland City council and other municipalities in New Zealand.

“The week after next I will be visiting Australia where we will be trying to forge partnerships with Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney municipal councils. The purpose is to learn from them and seek assistance,” said Mrs Kumar.

From left: Special administrators Janice Nand, Vilash Chand and Chairman Isikeli Tikoduadua with Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar, Permanent Secretary Local Government Dimity Fifer and Vimal Kumar.