Shine A Light: Lagilagi Housing for Informal Settlements

A former staff member of the de-registered Peoples Community Network (PCN), alleged to have mismanaged the funds for the Lagilagi Housing project, says all transactions conducted with PCN were properly documented.

Savu Tawake was terminated from the PCN in 2019 by the former director of the non-government organisation, Semiti Qalowasa, for mismanaging funds.

Mr Tawake confirmed this to us during an interview this week while adding criticism to how the former Government had interfered with the project.

The lack of transparency in the implementation of the Lagilagi Housing initiative at the Jittu Estate resulted in the delay in the project, leaving deserving families to struggle in the adjacent squatter settlement.

Jittu Estate is State land and home to the largest informal settlement in Suva, with more than 3000 residents. It symbolizes everything that is wrong with squatter settlements.

Opposition Member of Parliament Parveen Bala, who was the Minister for Housing at the time, did not respond to numerous requests for comments.

Mr Bala is alleged to have influenced how the project was implemented.

With the 36 new units and the groundbreaking for an additional eight units expected next month, the Public Rental Board (PRB) has not responded to questions on whether families living in the Jittu squatter settlement will be prioritised.

PRB has taken over from the PCN, following the NGO’s deregistration, the responsibility of ensuring the successful execution of the housing project.

This cloud of uncertainty reflects what had transpired in phases one and two of the project, where upon completion of the units, many of those not residing in the informal settlement were given priority and, to this day, still live in the units.

ALLEGATIONS

A myriad of issues surrounded the failure to complete the remaining 36 units in phase two of the project. The goal of the Lagilagi Housing Project was for 153 units to be completed in phases one and two.

Most of the funding was from the Government, as per the agreement signed with the PCN. Because of the delay in payment, Fortech Construction Pte Limited was not able to complete the construction of the units.

Even to this day, PCN still owes a substantial amount of money to Fortech.

Delayed payment by the Government to ensure the project was completed was rooted in how the late Fr Kevin Barr was “critical of the [former] Government”, says Mr Qalowasa.

Fr Barr was a Catholic priest and social worker who was influential in the formation of PCN in 2006 when it was established as a breakaway NGO from the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA).

He spoke out about social injustices in Fiji. Fr Barr had roped in the services of Mr Qalowasa, who was reportedly terminated from ECREA over similar allegations.

According to Mr Tawake, the money flowing into PCN was deposited into two separate bank accounts: the emergency funds account and the savings account.

“Every transaction was documented, and receipts were issued,” he said.

“I was questioned twice by the Police and the Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC). I had provided everything.”

It was alleged that PCN failed to deliver the flats already paid for by members of the public.

Mr Tawake was the only PCN employee who was not charged or produced in court. His family owns a unit in one of the old Lagilagi structures.

“Everything must be dealt with in the office, so when you do dealings outside the office, the office doesn’t have any control. If it’s done in the office, then we can control it. But when residents and a few of the staff want to do dealings outside of the office, that’s when the complaints and allegations surface,” Mr Qalowasa said.

Those who currently occupy the units had two options under the PCN agreement in order to own the unit.

They could either pay a lump sum of $30,000 for a three-bedroom unit or $24,000 for a two-bedroom unit in order to be issued a strata title, transferring ownership to the tenants. Tenants could also pay weekly rent over a specific period to cover the cost.

Mr Qalowasa had hoped that the Government would give back the project to PCN because the main priority for the NGO was Jittu.

JITTU SQUATTER SETTLEMENT 

The Jittu squatter settlement is divided into four zones and is home to more than 3000 Fijians from various communities and provinces in Fiji.

An ongoing survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing on the area of the squatter settlement closest to the Lagilagi Housing indicates that there are people with permanent and stable employment living among those who struggle.

Sireli Naqau, a long-time resident of zone one, hopes he and his family will move into one of the new 36 units.

Mr Naqau said they were informed during a consultation with the Ministry of Lands around November that residents in the zone one area, particularly those who could pay the rent, would be given priority.

According to Mr Naqau, the PRB will need to see some form of financial proof that residents living in the squatter settlement are able to pay the rent.

“We must provide a pay slip or bank statement,” he said.

An informed source at the Ministry of Housing, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said discussions were ongoing where tenants could rent the unit and owned it once payment was completed.

Mr Naqau added there were some families living in Jittu who come from good families.

“They rent out their homes, and they choose to come live in the squatters,” he said.

“There are also families who rent out one bedroom or two bedrooms in the squatter settlement.”

The future of families who cannot afford to pay the rent is still unknown. The PRB has chosen not to respond to any questions.

Mr Qalowasa explained that the Lagilagi Housing was a pilot project. If it had been completed on time, it would have housed many people living in informal settlements.

“It was a pilot project that people were not ready to learn, and it was a slow and long process. PCN, the Government and the Board gave up so easily,” he said.

Feedback: ivamere.nataro@fijisun.com.fj

•  This is the final part of a two-part series on the Lagilagi Housing project.