Nadi businesses demand action after flood project funding

The Nadi business community is calling for urgent action on the long-delayed Nadi River Flood Alleviation Project, saying the Government’s $3 million Budget allocation must now move the project from planning into construction.

The allocation in the 2026–2027 National Budget will support early works, including investigations and geotechnical studies needed before major flood protection infrastructure can begin.

Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) president Mr Lawrence Kumar said the funding was a positive step but warned that more action was needed.

"For far too long, Nadi’s businesses and residents have paid the price of inaction," Mr Kumar said.

"Every flood that sweeps through our town is not just a natural disaster — it is a failure of infrastructure that we have known how to fix for decades. We welcome this $3 million allocation as a genuine step forward, and we call on all partner agencies to now move from planning to action."

Mr Kumar said Nadi's flood risks had been well documented, with the town experiencing 26 major flood events since 1991, including the destructive floods of 2009 and 2012.

He said studies by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) had already identified possible long-term solutions, including river widening, dredging, retarding basins, dike construction, bridge replacement and improved early warning systems.

"What matters now is execution, co-ordination and accountability across all stakeholder agencies," he said.

Mr Kumar called on Government to immediately bring together development partners including JICA, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the Asian Development Bank and the European Union to establish an implementation timeline.

He also urged Government to prioritise the Nadi River under the $23 million allocation for national waterways dredging.

"Nadi is Fiji’s tourism capital and gateway to the world," Mr Kumar said.

"When our town floods, it is not just our businesses that suffer — it is Fiji’s international image, our visitor economy and thousands of livelihoods."