FRA Future Bleak, CEO Tells
The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) chief executive officer, Kamal Prasad, has no clear indication of what would become of the organisation when the Public Works Department (PWD) becomes operational.
The coalition Government is working on bringing back and modernising the PWD within its first 100 days in office.
As stated in The People’s Alliance manifesto first 100 days in office, the FRA will be reorganised as Public Works Department with all necessary facilitation.
During an interview yesterday, Mr Prasad said: “We have to understand what PWD is going to be made up of. We do not know yet. “I really do not want to speculate on something that is not there. “However, some functions may have to go to the Public Works team and other types of work they do and other projects they do.”
When asked about losing employees, Mr Prasad said: “Maybe. I don’t know”.
Mr Prasad believes, from his meeting with the Minister for Public Works, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, yesterday, the two organisations will co-exist in terms of the infrastructural work they will carry out. “That is what we think will happen. I don’t think FRA is going to be removed immediately from here,” he said.
“It’s something that will co-exist, basically complementing each other’s work, whatever we are doing within the ministry and to move the infrastructure side of things in the country.
“FRA is operating as usual.” Mr Prasad has not seen a move for the Government to close FRA ‘overnight’.
Ongoing projects
Mr Prasad said they discussed with the Minister yesterday the possibility of having additional funding to existing projects in order for them to complete work by the end of this financial year.
FRA has been allocated $376.7million in this financial year.
Mr Prasad said the organisation needed $420m to complete ongoing projects.
Ro Filipe yesterday said there was no halt to any ongoing projects including the Queen Elizabeth Drive upgrade along the Nasese foreshore in Suva.
Ro Filipe previously said in an interview that the PWD would be set up in a more realistic and cost effective way.
“There’s no reason to stop work, it’s just a matter of reallocating funds. It will be taken after that by the permanent secretary,” he said.
“One of the key areas is rural delivery; rural roads and a few other areas which we believe can be strengthened.”
FRA’s future
Ro Filipe said the FRA would continue to carry out its work while the ministry accessed its functions. When questioned on the impact the PWD would have on the FRA, Ro Filipe said: “It won’t be affected. All contracts and legal arrangements will be observed and we will follow due process.
“We are looking, firstly, within the ministry.
“That was part of our manifesto – the strengthening of our public works department and that is what we are looking at now.
“It’s an area, particularly, that we are working on. So, basically the current functions and how do we strengthen that.”