A landowner is up in arms over allegedly unpaid monies, about $212,000, for soil taken from his land in Nadroga to be used at the site where the proposed Sofitel SO Resort was to have been built at Momi.

Sokonaia Rogose, the landowner from Tau Village, at Momi, claims he has records showing over 1000 truckloads of mud, each carrying around 11 cubic metres, being taken to be offloaded at the resort site.

Mr Rogose said he has taken the matter further to the Prime Minister’s Office as he wanted to be compensated. The CP Group out of New Zealand, trading under Pandey Investments (Fiji) Limited, had acquired the site which previously was home to Seashell Cove Resort. In its place, Pandey Investments planned to build the $80 million Sofitel SO Resort.

This would have further developed on its property links with the Accor Hotel Group in Fiji through its Novotel and Mercure brands.

Work started last year on dismantling most of the old structure for Seashell Cove Resort by contractors MAH Enterprises (Fiji) Limited.

However, due to what is believed to have been some contractual dispute, work stopped sometimes in November 2018 and nothing has been done since.

Mr Rogose said he had agreed with the contractors to shift soil from his land, Naholiha, near Tau Village to the site.

“I had agreed to between $60 – $70 per truck of soil but the contractors wanted to pay me $2 per cubic metre which meant they would pay me $22 per truck of soil,” Mr Rogose claimed.

“I have records of more than 1000 truckloads of soil leaving my land for the site and which amounts to $212,000.

“I have been to the iTaukei Land Trust Board to try and sort this out.

“I did this because I wanted the hotel to be built so that it could provide employment for people from the six villages nearby,” Mr Rogose said.

When contacted yesterday, MAH Enterprises (Fiji) Limited director Tony Herbert said the matter regarding the work stoppage was “before arbitration in New Zealand.

“That has got nothing to do with you people.” Mr Herbert said when told I was calling on behalf of the Fiji Sun.

He then hung up the phone before any further questions could be put to him.

When contacted a senior employee, of the CP Group, Alan Fisher, headquarters in New Zealand, said he was not in a position to make any comment as he did not deal with the development at Momi Bay.

“Mr Prakash Pande (Director) is not in and would be in tomorrow and he would be the best person to comment,” Mr Fisher said.

Second project:

• Another planned project set on the same location is the Momi Town by the Sea. Details earlier announced said;
• The town, which will be the hub of Momi will have a modern day shopping complex that will include restaurants, bars, close to 10 shops and a 50- apartment block building. nThe apartments would all be self-contained.nThere were plans to house an authentic Fijian restaurant on the hill overlooking the town.nThe main concept of the town is creating a link between the Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay and the soon-to-be built Sofitel SO at the former Sea Shell Cove site.
• It is an investment of close to $30 million.

About Pandey Investments (Fiji) Limited

The C.P Group, trading under Pandey Investments (Fiji) Limited, presently owns 100 per cent of Novotel Resort Suva Lami Bay and is developing the $80 million hotel in Momi Bay, near Nadi.

The group also owns 50 percent of Novotel and Mercure hotels in Nadi, in a partnership with the Tappoo Group.

C.P. Group, owned by one of New Zealand’s wealthiest families – the Pandey family – is described as a multi-level, global diversified property development and investment corporation.

Feedback: charles.chambers@fijisun.com.fj