By Katalina Siasau and Tupou Vaipulu Jr

Land reclamation for the Government’s prefab houses project is underway at Popua, near the Sia Heu Lupe, where, it is said, they will construct over a hundred houses in time for the Pacific Islands Forum leader’s meeting in the last week of August. The site preparation, now into its third week, will continue until the end of May, before construction begins in June.

The Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, announced last month that the Government planned to build 200 prefab houses to accommodate delegations attending the Pacific Forum leaders meeting to be held in Nuku'alofa from 26-30 August. The current accommodation sector is falling short of rooms to cater for at least 1,000 participants, coming from 18 PIF member countires across the Pacific.

Heavy truck-loads of coral fill have been moving along Vuna Road over the last few weeks.

The Acting CEO of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Tevita Lavemai, is in charge of the site preparation. He told Matangi Tonga today that they are filling the area where the houses will be constructed. However, he said they had not finalized the overall size of the construction area.

"We are only focusing on filling the land area where the houses will be constructed on. At the moment, I have not got the overall size of the area, and mapping."

Lavemai said there would be more than 100 houses to be built under the project.

Multi-department project

The Project Manager, Mr. Tevita ‘Aho told Matangi Tonga today that there are various Government departments involved in this project.

However, he said he could not disclose any details about the project without getting permission from the CEO and the Minister of Infrastructure.

The Ministry of Infrastructure office said today that their CEO, Lopeti Heimuli, was currently in Fiji, while the Minister, Hon. Sevenitini Toumo'ua is abroad in Saudi Arabia.

Government Resorts project

A recent update on the Ministry of Infrastructure official facebook page stated that the “Government Resorts project” started its site preparation on the first week of May.

"We aim to complete the site preparation this month, and to begin with constructing the houses in June."

However, the Ministry fb also stated that only 60 houses would be built on the area.