House 'Scam' CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

■ Eight from Housing Authority terminated as per the allegations ■ The former employees are now being investigated by FICAC

The Housing Authority of Fiji is now under the spotlight after eight of its employees were terminated for allegations of corrupt practises earlier this year. The eight employees had allegedly set up a company, bearing the same address as the Housing Authority, and were making money to develop plans and land on behalf of its clients.

This was confirmed by the Minister for Housing Premila Kumar, adding that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption was aware of this case.

She also said that the Housing Authority had no option, but to release them.

Ms Kumar also highlighted that she had been receiving calls, text messages and emails from the public, indicating their frustrations on the systems in place with the

Housing Authority.

“They are telling me that their application had been lodged in 2007 or in 2011 and they are still waiting for their plots to be given,” the minister said. “However, they have questioned on how other people they know who did not put an application for plots got theirs instead, which they questioning.” Ms Kumar said that on the advice of the Housing Authority there was a system in place and this system picked them out randomly.

“But the more and more I realise that there was no system in place. Literally, there is no system that the system picks out,” she said.

“There has been a lot of corrupt practises going on in the allotment of lots, because the policies currently in place allow for corrupt practises to breed.”

The minister also indicated that they have had people who were given plots, who apparently just walked in and had never lodged an application.

The ministry has directed the HA’s chief executive of officer to work with its board to make the authority more effective and to adopt transparent processes in the future allotment of lots.

The ministry is aware of other cases and will not hesitate to refer them to the Fiji Police Force or FICAC.