Compulsory Registration for all Fiji Landlords

Fiji Commerce Commission CEO Joel Abraham says they are planning to have a compulsory registration of landlords in the proposed Landlords and Tenants Act.

As the second phase of the public consultations on the proposed act starts in the Western Division from today, Abraham says compulsory registration will help them deal with complaints regarding tenants and landlords.

Abraham is urging members of the public to attend these consultations and voice their concerns.

He had earlier said that some of the issues being brought to them included illegal increase in rent, unfair terms and conditions in a tenancy agreement, rental bond, refund of bond and disclosure of information by landlords and tenants when starting the tenancy.

Credit: Naveel Krishant, 27 February,2017.

Fiji Government $2.24m Kalabu Project Nears Completion

The government  grant of $2.24 million for the project at Kalabu is slated to be completed soon  The Public Rental Board is working hard to complete the construction of Kalabu Rental Units in Nasinu in the next three months.

Public Rental Board CEO Patrick Veu says there is a delay in the overall project.

He says the contractor had to be laid off from the site and the maintenance crew from the Public Rental Board are currently completing the project.

Veu says they have also hired some people from outside who are working with the maintenance crew.

He says there are 35 workers at the site and about 90 percent of the work is completed.

There will be 36 flats in the Kalabu Rental Units.

Credit: Swastika Singh, fijivillage.com, 24 February,2017.

Fiji Revenue & Custom Authority recovered $1.9 million through Whistleblower Policy

Three more companies have been investigated under the Whistleblower Policy resulting in a tax collection of more than $1.9 million.

FRCA Chief Executive Officer, Visvanath Das says the Authority during its investigation determined that the three companies were from the Real Estate, Transport and Media industry.

Das says that it was identified that the respective companies were involved in tax planning to minimise its tax burden, falsifying VAT claims on its purchases and simultaneously under stating sales in addition to over stating purchases.

He says that they received relevant information from three whistleblowers and based on the due diligence process and whistleblower reward matrix, FRCA awarded more than $56,000 in total to the respective informants.

Das says the increasing amount of tip‑offs FRCA receives from  citizens regarding tax evasion is a positive trend, however, they  are concerned about the amount of fraudulent activities that are occurring behind the scenes.

He says the authority has been advising the public regarding hefty fines on infringements, yet business owners continue to cheat the system.

FRCA says the indirect result of evading tax is depriving the people of this country to a better standard of living.

A whistleblower that provides relevant information or documents  to the Authority contributing significantly to the success of  the investigation and prosecution by the Authority shall be entitled to up to 10 percent of the net revenue recovered as a monetary reward.

Credit: Vijay Narayan, 24 February, 2017fijivillage.com

Fiji’s Director of Public Prosecution Seizes $1.2m Worth Properties.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully obtained a restraining order over FJD$1.2million worth of assets last week.

A restraining order was granted by the High Court in its civil jurisdiction under the Proceeds of Crime Act against property owned by Aidong Zhang, Changhui Liu, Home Finance Company Limited, New Home Trading Company Limited.

The properties consist of monies in a Home Finance Company Limited account of Changhui Liu, two freehold properties, one house and two vehicles.

Aidong Zhang has also been charged in a corollary criminal case brought by the ODPP with one count of obtaining property by deception and one count of money laundering.

It is alleged that between 1 June 2014 and 31 January 2016, the accused deceptively acquired property and engaged directly or indirectly in money laundering in the amount of FJD$1,240,740.74.

The matter has been adjourned to 3 February 2017.

Credit: Newswire February 3, 2017 .

Development For Damodar City Already Underway in Labasa, Fiji.

Earthworks have begun on the much-talked about Damodar City in Labasa.
Group chief executive, Div Damodar says the project is expected to be complete by next year.

“We want to give a lot of opportunity to the people in the North to expand their businesses. Boosting the northern economic activity which gives an opportunity to every business to expand. There are a lot of chains coming in Labasa. They are really excited about it and we’ve asked them to be innovative about it.”

Damodar says phase one of construction is expected to begin in the next few months generating up to two hundred jobs.

Damodar City Labasa will include a cinema, food court, retail stores, supermarket, restaurants and more.

Credit: Rachael Nath, FBC News, 17 february,2017.

Conference Business Hotel A First For Nadi,Fiji.

If you happen to drive past Macdonalds in Nadi, you will notice a massive steel structure, probably a first of its kind in Nadi.

A purpose-built and conference business hotel is taking shape in Nadi town – on Enamanu Road at Martintar off Queens Road.

A Chinese company, Ping Cheng is constructing with a roof top pool and bar. General Manager, Li Jiang said: “we are targeting this hotel to be a business hotel. It will have large conference rooms and meeting halls with state of the art equipments. “We want to bring a modern style to Fiji, something different that allows people to experience unique hotel styles.”

Now in its intial phase of construction, the cost so far is over  $10 million, Mr Jiang said. This only covers materials which have been brought in from China. Required approvals have been obtained, he said.

Like many Chinese-run businesses, locals will be employed throughout the development, he stressed.

“When construction srarts we will bring in 15 to 20 people from China and about 30 to 40 from Fiji.

He said: “I‘ve seen the market and Fiji’s tourism market is good and it grew very fast. In 2010, when I came to Fiji the rooms in Nadi were only $190 now rooms are $400 or $500. The demand has grown. That is why I want to be in on this venture.”

But maintaining a reasonable price range when the new hotel begins its operation is something Mr. Jiang already has in mind. “I am looking at having the rooms at $200 per night.”

Why Fiji

While the demand in the tourism industry maybe string, Mr. Jiang pointed out other reasons for investing in Fiji. “Fiji is very safe, I’ve been here for 5 years and nothing bad ever happens. It’s a safe country. The people are also very friendly and happy. Fiji and China’s relationship is very close and the prime minister has invited us to come and do business here, so we want to come and help Fiji. We can help give jobs to locals and more tourists will come into the country which will boost the economy.”

Company and Funding

The Ping Cheng company is from Shaoxing City. Its core business is in real estate it has ventures into construction. Mr Jiang explained the funding for the Nadi hotel will be generated through their Chinese branch.

Mr. Jiang is not new to Fijim, having conducted other projects both as a shareholder and Manager.

One of his first projects in 2010 was working the Tian Tian Tian Yuan Company Piggery project and the Teng Cement factory in Lami.

With an influx of Chinese-run developments taking place around the country, there has been concerns about the genuineness of some projects.

Mr. Jiang explained: “I don’t just buy land and not do anything. Many Chinese people come to Fiji and do business but only a few come and not do business.

“That doesn’t mean  all chinese are bad, that is why I want to build this hotel quickly and then start on other projects so the local people can have faith in us Chinese and know we are not lying – that we are here to help Fijian people.

Future Plans

Mr. Jiang also has plans to venture into agriculture.

“I will start once I get the land. I don’t have the right land for it just yet but I am looking for somewhere in Tailevu,” he said.

After the completion of the hotel in two years time, plans are already under in the pipeline to build a beach front resort at Pacific Harbour.

Credit: Rachael Nath, 27^th June, 2015.

Landslide in Western Division of Fiji Places Houses At Risk

A landslide has placed a few houses in Simla, Lautoka, at risk.

The landslide was caused by the heavy downpour in the Western Division over the past few days.

Simla resident Ranil Chandra said the slip along a footpath that connected to the Lautoka Hospital posed a danger to most houses along the street.

“My next door neighbour has already moved out of his home,” he said.

“The footpath had collapsed because the soil was too soft from all the rain we had.

“Some of the water and mud went into my neighbour’s house so they had to move.”

Mr Chandra said other houses were also under threat.

“The thing about this landslide is that a lot more houses are located beside the footpath.

“It runs directly beside three or four houses and if it continues to rain, more mud can enter other houses including ours.”

He said the damaged footpath had been closed to the public.

“There have been signs put up warning people not to use the footpath, but we think there should be more done.

“They need to build a retaining wall beside the footpath.”

Credit: Repeka Nasiko, Fiji Times, 16 February, 2017.

Fiji Government asked to Believe in Local Architect Talent

A local architectural firm has called on Government and other companies to believe in local talent and contract projects to local firms.

Architects Pacific director Amitia Hugget said there was a lot of potential among the locals and it should be enhanced through more projects.

Ms Hugget said all their staff members were locals who were very talented. However, there were not many projects available for them in the country that they could work on.

“We have talented people here so why should the work be given overseas,” she said.

She said the company had won many overseas contracts which they were working on and the best part about that was locals were being used to work on those overseas projects.

According to Ms Hugget, a lot of students who come out of the Fiji National University needed drafting skills, but they were unable to find attachments because Government and other bigger companies continued to hire overseas companies to design the new projects.

She said FNU offered a Diploma in Drafting and they taught students basic designing, but students needed practical attachments before they could graduate.

“We have two students from FNU for attachment and when they go back, another two will come,” she said.

“But it would be great if we had four spots and that would be possible if we had a lot of work.

“We know that the president of the Fiji Association of Architects Adish Naidu is trying to push for locals to recognise the talent here and bring the work home and not give it away overseas.

“If we have the talent then we should be using it.”

Company founder and director Stuart Hugget said the company used to get a lot of work in the past, but now they had to seek projects overseas.

Mr Hugget said they had 26 staff members who received on the job training and were award-winning architects.

He said the people in Fiji were very talented and all they needed was more projects to work on.

Credit: Monika Singh, Fiji Times, 13 February, 2017.

Fiji Government’s $1.6m Bid to Improve Health and Safety of all People.

Government is installing 122 streetlights and footpaths in rural, urban and peri-urban areas in the Western Division in a bid to improve the health and safety of all people.

This comment was made by Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in Parliament on Wednesday.

He said the western village streetlight program which was presently in progress, would result in the installation of 122 new street lights at a total cost of $1.6 million.

“The installation will cover the entire stretch from Korotogo by-pass road to Nailaga Village,” he said.

“With this section, 100 per cent of the trenching and pole foundation has already been carried out in the Cuvu section and Korovuto section.

“The other sites along the stretch will be completed by July or August of this year.

“The section in front of Nailaga Village will be installed completely with solar streetlights which will contribute to our commitment under the Paris Agreement.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added that in villages which had existing poles, extensions were done from the poles to provide streetlighting within the village area.

The A-G said having streetlights supported healthier living as people felt safer and could now walk to and from work to home or exercise at night.

Credit: Felix Chaudhary, Fiji Times, 11 February, 2017.

Useful Advice for Fiji Landlords

Consumer Council of Fiji chief executive officer Premila Kumar has reiterated that all landlords must produce an agreement and receipts of tenancy to tenants because it is compulsory.

This was after complaints were received by this newspaper from some concerned tenants in the North yesterday.

In an interview, Ms Kumar said a spot fine of $2000 would apply if a landlord failed to provide an agreement letter to their tenants.

“Failure to produce an agreement and receipts of tenancy is an offence under Rent Freeze Order 2015,” she said.

Ms Kumar said tenants had the responsibility to dema­nd an agreement letter.

“If they stayed in the flat for so long without an agreement that indicates that the consumer was irresponsible,” she said. “He or she is expressing or rather using this when an evicti­on notice is given and a responsible consumer would have initially sought assistance.”

Ms Kumar said it was compulsory to have a Landlord and Tenancy Agreement because this agreement would have all the terms and conditions of leasing the property and would act as a guide and proof for tenants.

“Moreover, a landlord would need to provide a 30-day written notice to the tenant regardless of tenancy agreement,” she said.

“During this period the tenants would be allowed to stay in the flat and would still be liable to pay rent for those 30 days.”

Consumers can lodge their complaints with National Consumer Helpline on 155.

Credit: Luisa Qiolevu, Fiji Times, 7th February,2017.