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Issue No: 610; 21 March 2001
After the marked improvement in the water supply system in the country under the People's Coalition Government, the nation is reverting to the days of perennial water problems of the SVT days. Over the past few weeks, the media has highlighted problems of water supply in the greater Suva area as well as in Lautoka City. Complete cut-off of supply, often without notice, and irregular and muddy water through taps are now again the order of the day in the country. In 1998, Suva City suffered a huge water supply problem with most households not getting regular water for months. The same was true for Lautoka. But within months of taking office, the water problems were addressed with substantial improvement in both the cities. The government had placed water supply as a top priority for its budgetary allocation. Today, the Public Works Department has issued a warning of a repeat of the 1998 problems in Suva because of the Qarase regime's non-allocation of funds to the department to activate its plans. The PWD also stated that the development of infrastructure is lagging behind the growth of urban areas. It was this very status which had led the People's Coalition Government to place infrastructure development as a top priority for financial allocation. All this has been reversed by the Qarase regime. The regime has also announced that it may reverse the People's Coalition decision to not to privatise state owned enterprises. Whether the decision applies to the water supply department is not known. Meanwhile, the major beneficiary of the water problems is the
local trucking industry, many owned by the ethnic Indians. Large trucking
companies are hired by the government to cart water to residents when the water
system breaks down. It was made known to the People's Coalition Government that
a few such companies had a more than professional relationship with some of the
Public Works workers. In one case, it was confirmed that a vehicle belonging to
a major transport company was often parked overnight and weekend at the home of
a government employee working in the works ministry. The same company is also on
a list circulating in the country of businessmen who funded the terrorists. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
