36 Families Get New Homes

A family that has lived in the Jittu Estate informal settlement outside Suva for 15 years now has a place they can call home.

Ratu Serevi Batinitabua, 53, and his family of four are among the proud 36 families awarded newly-built residential units at the Lagilagi Housing Estate.

The official opening of the units was conducted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka yesterday. Ratu Serevi had received the exciting offer from the Public Rental Board (PRB) on Wednesday morning.

It was a long time coming for his family, who had previously applied for affordable housing through the now de-registered Non-Government Organisation (NGO), People’s Community Network (PCN), but were unsuccessful.

Now he has an offer for a house that is safe and secure; something his family has been without for years.

“I’m very happy. Where we’re staying, there’s no power, even though it’s close to Suva. It’s also unsafe because crime has been on the rise there.”

Shayal and Ravi Prasad had moved out of their home in the squatters adjacent to the Lagilagi Housing Estate after facing issues with water and landslide damage.

They were excited and thankful to receive a housing offer for one of the 36 new units yesterday.

Mr Rabuka praised the efforts of the PRB and Government for stepping in to complete the 36 unfinished units and deliver them to families in need, amid surging housing prices and lack of affordable homes.

He said his Government was committed to meeting the increasing needs for housing nationwide.

“Despite these global challenges, the Coalition Government remains steadfast in addressing housing shortages particularly for low-income earning families, through projects like Lagilagi.”

It is unclear when these 36 families would be able to move into their new homes.

According to PRB general manager Timoci Naleba, the housing offers are provisional and will be rolled out in full until Cabinet approves the rent-to-own policy.

The Lagilagi Housing Project was initiated in 2009 by the Ministry of Local Government in partnership with the People’s Community Network to facilitate the construction of 153 affordable housing units.

Feedback: jernese.macanawai@fijisun.com.fj