Hard Work Leads Kamal Prasad to Top Job in Our Roads Infrastructure
In 2020, a 42-yearold man stepped up to take the helm of the body responsible for one of Fiji’s most important infrastructure – roads.
It was then when the nation was introduced to Kamal Prasad, from Vatuwaqa.
He believes that it was his beginnings that had forged him into what he is today. Mr Prasad said he is a Suva lad, through and through.
Beginnings
He was born in the capital city and raised in the settlement in Wailea Road with Vatuwaqa on one side and Raiwaqa just a stone’s throw away.
He is trilingual – fluent in English, Hindi and iTaukei. Many times he has been a guest on iTaukei television shows to talk about roads. And the topic of roads is an issue that everyone talks about.
“My parents are from Ba and they moved to Suva before I was born. Growing up in Wailea was not easy,” said Mr Prasad.
Indeed the neighbourhood is still infamous for its fair share of misdeeds and anyone growing up without direction could easily find himself on the wrong side of the law.
The soldier and the engineer
Mr Prasad said no matter how hard life was, his parents, especially his mother, would always tell him that there is no substitute for hard work.
After finishing his primary school education, Mr Prasad found himself in another school of hard knocks.
“I am a proud scholar of Laucala Bay Secondary School. It was school and at the same time I had the opportunity to meet with people from different backgrounds and different attitudes towards life in general,” he said.
After finishing off his secondary school education in 1997, Mr Prasad found himself at the Fiji Institute of Technology. Like many young adults in those days he had set sights on joining the British Army.
He was selected and through his hard work and inclination towards engineering, Mr Prasad joined the British Army Engineers. He was a soldier for nine years serving in different countries, but above all he was an engineer.
While growing up, engineering was something that Mr Prasad had always wanted to do. He saw it as an answer to life’s problems.
“I grew up in the days of the Public Works Department and we used to see that people who became engineers had been able to make something of themselves,” he said.
“So from an early age, I wanted to be an engineer.”
After his time in the British Army Mr
Prasad made the move into the private sector and joined MWH Global, which was a major contractor for the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA).
He spent six years in Australia before being sent to Fiji.
“I was kind of head hunted. Being a Fijian was an advantage which the company saw and I was sent to work in Fiji,” he said.
“That was in 2015. When I was given the opportunity, there was no thinking about it. I have always wanted to help Fiji, my country and this was an opportunity that I was not going to pass.”
A year later, Mr Prasad went from the contracted company to the FRA.
He said while working for the contractors he had started to realise where the loopholes in the system were and how the changes could be brought about to improve efficiency in the construction, repair and maintenance of Fiji’s roads.
The FRA challenge
When Mr Prasad took the top job at FRA, becoming its acting chief executive officer, there were many challenges, most in the form of never ending complaints.
He used the negatives to motivate not only himself, but his team as well.
“The first thing we had to do was to get the engineering right. Changing the way we were making roads and getting the technique best suited for Fiji,” Mr Prasad said.
“Then it was on to service delivery. What we were delivering against what was expected of us. And then getting the message across to all involved in road works on what was needed.
“What we have started now is the three phase construction. We have also had to look at maintenance of existing infrastructure and then there is creating accessibility in new areas.
“We know what we are doing. Our main effort is preserving what we already have.”
When COVID-19 hit, there were problems as well. Mr Prasad said a few projects were hampered as they had problems sourcing materials and then from April this year, there were issues with labour mobility.
But as challenges have come and gone, Mr Prasad said they were slowly coming out on top.
Roots and rugby
For Mr Prasad, life has a simple rule – work hard
He added that he had not forgotten where he is from. From his early days, he has been a keen rugby enthusiast.
Mr Prasad was a member of the Raiwaqa Rugby Club where he played as a colt and then played while being in the army. He also found a club to play for when he was in Australia.
And he continues his love of rugby and for the place where he grew up by being involved with the Raiwaqa Rugby Club.
“I have not forgotten where I have come from because it was the place that shaped me up. My growing up taught me how to deal with challenges,” he said.
“Above all it taught me how to use the negativities in life and change them to be a motivating factor.”
He said he believes in Fiji and that is what brought him back to the land he loves. And in doing so, he found love right here in Fiji as he started a family of his own.