Nasaulevu Project Hopes to Begin Next May

A multi-million-dollar integrated tourism development project is set to begin at Nasaulevu Island.

This was announced after island owners, Nakovacake Development Trust (NDT), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on a master plan for the island.

Nasaulevu Island comprises 747 acres of land, opposite Denarau Port Marina and near Fantasy Island.

"The MOU signing marks the beginning of a journey removing poverty from their midst and rather to empower them including their future generation," NDT chairman, Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Commander Joint Task Force (CJTF) Brigadier- General Manoa Gadai said at Navoci Village in Nadi, last Friday.

"This MOU symbolises a transformative journey for us particularly with the large tourist development in Nasaulevu."

He said the project was expected to start next May.

"The provision of the Revised Masterplan of the Nasaulevu Intergrated Tourism Development Project will take between six to nine months, including its feasibility study," Brigadier-General Gadai said.

"During this master planning process, we will start our negotiations on how we will partner in a proposed joint venture with FNPF and ADB. Once we confirm our Joint Venture options/proposal then we will sign another joint venture MOU to start this.

"This will be a huge and unique and a class of its own tourism development project in Fiji and the region."

ADB director general, Cathy Marsh said the initial budget for the master plan was $300,000 and they hoped to deploy specialists to start work for development before the end of this year.

Minister for Public Works, Meteorology and Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau said Government was ready to assist the landowners in terms of moving forward in terms of their economic participation.

NDT secretary Anare Naivutevute said the master plan would be one of its kind, adding the tag, the hub for the South Pacific.

He said the ADB was interested in funding of the building of:-

•  resorts
•  commercial lots
•  residential lots
•  a cultural centre.

"This cultural centre aims to attract tourists to Fiji. They experience in Fiji what they already have in their country. They want to experience more about us, our culture and what we are known for," he added.

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