HON. MINISTER KUMAR THANKS THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATORS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION AND COMMITMENT TOWARDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Premila Kumar virtually met with the Special Administrators this morning via Zoom and thanked them for their support and contribution towards shaping the future of Municipal Councils in Fiji.
The Special Administrators of the 13 Municipal Councils have worked tirelessly over the last two years to bring better governance and institutional reforms. The tenure of the Special Administrators comes to an end today.
Speaking at the Forum this morning, Hon. Kumar said, “Over the last two years, we have worked together on strategies to better the financial positions of the Councils, encouraged revenue generation, increased rates collection, enhanced consultations, and restructured Organisation Structures. All to enable efficient service delivery at reduced costs. You have made positive contributions, and I thank you for your dedication”.
Since 2019, the Special Administrators have implemented a number of successful projects including the Korovou Restroom, Laqere Municipal Market, Rakiraki Municipal Market and Namaka Municipal Market. They have worked collectively to complete projects such as the Sigatoka Stallion Monument, Sigatoka Melrose Bridge and amphitheatre, new car parks in Sigatoka and Lautoka.
“The work of Municipal Councils is definitely multidimensional and changes rapidly. We all have had our share of challenges in bringing about the much needed institutional reforms in the 13 Municipal Councils” said Hon. Minister Kumar.
She also commended the Special Administrators for clearing the backlog of Annual Reports. “Under your guidance, the Chief Executive Officers have made tremendous progress. I am pleased to say that we have dealt with many challenges and have had positive outcomes. A lot of work is still required to clear the backlogs. Councils with more resources are still slow in preparing and submitting their Annual Reports“, said Hon. Minister Kumar.
The Ministry of Local Government remains committed to delivering reforms to support economic growth and improve the ease of doing business.
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