Natadola Project to Benefit

FNPF News
2nd Quarter, 2006

The Natadola Hotel project is to provide direct employment for about 1100 people. It will also benefit many others, including landowners, secondary
industry owners and Fiji National Provident Fund members.

About 600 construction workers are to be engaged in building Natadola's first hotel, the InterContinental Fiji Resort. The hotel, which should be open
by 2008, is expected to employ 500 permanent workers.

"This does not include the secondary industry this development will encourage, such as taxis, tours, fresh food producers, and associated small businesses which will provide additional jobs," said FNPF chairman Anare Jale, while addressing Sanasana villagers before he officially turned on the village's electricity supply in late May.

About 300 villagers now have electricity and more benefits are expected for them from the FNPF-funded Natadola project.

"The Government is providing piped water to the villages and it has already constructed a nine-kilometer sealed road that has improved the village economy,Mr Jale said.

"In addition, the FNPF will connect the village homes to sewerage as soon as the Natadola sewerage treatment plant is completed in 2007."

Apart from this, the villagers would receive a substantial amount of money for years to come through land rentals from the Natadola tourism development.

Mr Jale said the FNPF expected to make $40million in foreign exchange earnings in its first year of opening in 2008, and that figure is projected to increase to $690million over a 10 year period.

He said the nation would benefit from increased tourism. "In addition to the 18 hole world-class Vijay Singh golf course, there will eventually be five international hotels and approximately 600 residential units comprising villas and apartments.

"This project will dramatically increase the room inventory for the tourism industry. And with increased tourism will be increased employment. This project is a win-win development for everyone in Fiji."

Source: The Fiji Times