Premila Kumar says Housing Authority of Fiji is currently not serving its purpose

The Housing Authority of Fiji is yet to give details regarding staff numbers following comments made by Minister for Housing, Premila Kumar who has said they want to know what the 220 staff of Housing Authority are doing as most of their work is outsourced.

Following Kumar’s comments in parliament last week, Fiji Bank and Finance Sector Employees Union’s National Secretary, Sailesh Naidu is saying Housing Authority has about 150 staff and not 220.

Questions sent to Housing Authority of Fiji CEO, Robert Sen remain unanswered.

In an interview with Fijivillage, Premila Kumar says Housing Authority is currently not serving its purpose, as for years it has only been providing sub-divided lots and people are now demanding homes.

Kumar says people are now demanding a land with a house on it, and this is something the Housing Authority is not able to provide.

She says they also have to look at the pace at which the Housing Authority has been sub-dividing land and putting it for sale.

Kumar says they want Housing Authority to look at various financial models and work with development agencies to roll out more homes into the market along with land and look at products like strata units, duplex homes, homes and land.

The Minister for Housing says to do all these, the dynamics of the whole organisation will change and based on the new vision, staffing will be decided.

Kumar revealed in parliament that they are undertaking a job evaluation exercise and also looking at staffing needs at the Housing Authority of Fiji.

Fiji Bank and Finance Sector Employees Union’s National Secretary, Sailesh Naidu says the government needs to provide funding to Housing Authority for them to do what they are supposed to do.

He says they agree that the Housing Authority needs to provide decent housing but it cannot survive on its own funds and provide affordable housing.

He says the job evaluation exercise of Housing Authority of Fiji staff was carried out in late 2019 and payments have been made.

Naidu adds he is not aware of any job evaluation exercise which has been raised by Kumar as without the involvement of the union, a job evaluation exercise cannot take place.