Entities need to ensure they deliver services required – Prof. Prasad

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says there is enough money put into the Water Authority of Fiji for the last two budgets, particularly the last budget.

Professor Prasad says the expectation is that these entities will be able to work through those budgets and ensure that they deliver the services they are required to deliver.

He said this while responding to questions by fijivillage News if enough funds are given to WAF saying as far as they are concerned, there is sufficient funding to do what WAF is required to do at the moment.

Professor Prasad says they understand that a lot of the water infrastructure, particularly the pipes are old as there was hardly any investment over the last 20 or 30 years to change that.

He says he is aware of the turbidity issues being faced by WAF.

Professor Prasad says due to climate change impacts, the frequency of rain, the intensity of rain, and the flooding is damaging the infrastructure.

The Deputy Prime Minister says the government is focused in making sure that these are fixed, while it may not happen overnight, but WAF along with the government, the respective ministry, public works, and the minister have been working very hard to ensure that they are able to not only source additional funding, but also put in a strategy so that they do not have this problem and that it causes inconvenience to a lot of people.