Old Town Has A Bright New Future

Nausori is growing. And a significant part of that is because of agriculture.

Which is fitting. Because it was agriculture which was the foundation of the old town. The first Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) mill was set up here in 1881 and the first indentured labourers worked here.

Now, long after the departure of CSR and sugar, Nausori Town serves three agriculture rich provinces: Tailevu, Naitasiri and Rewa. And fast-growing accommodation and shopping areas like Nakasi on the Nausori-Suva corridor.

That agricultural foundation has today kept the original Nausori town’s economy stable despite the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 1300 families earn a living through the Nausori town municipal market.

Nausori Town Council chief executive officer Anurashika Bari said they would not survive the pandemic if it were not for agriculture and businesses seeing a Nausori future.

Ms Bari confirmed that there are 10 multi-million-dollar ongoing building projects in Nausori.

These would help serve the 4375 ratepayers and the more than 58,000 residents from Manoca, Nakasi, Nadali and Nausori town boundaries. Plus, the three provinces.

 Council projects

The council hopes in partnership with UN Women to build an estimated $500,000 Nausori Market accommodation. This would sleep more than 50 women vendors.

It will be a two-storey building with more space on the ground floor for market vendors.

They hope to start the project as soon as March.

Within the same vicinity they hope to develop “SME” minimarkets and more car park space.

Ms Bari said some came from as far as Rakiraki and Ba to sell at the Nausori Market. They did not have enough space to house the influx.

In addition, there are also major plans to revamp Nakasi.

This revamp would focus mainly on building better secured minimarkets and a proper bus station. The project would be developed behind Nakasi RB Patel Supermarket.

The council has also started discussions to build community halls for both Nakasi and Nausori town.

Old Nausori Market

Nausori Town Council in 2015 embarked on a Public Private Partnership deal to develop the old market area.

Shop N Save Limited won the tender to take over developing a $40 million complex at this site. However, no work has been carried out since documents were signed.

Ms Bari said unfortunately they had not heard much back from Shop N Save but have recently been in talks again.

Shop N Save Managing Director Babu Ratan Deo has been approached for comment.

Nausori Plaza

A $50 million shopping complex is also being built at the old Nausori bus station.

The is a partnership between Nausori village landowners and Zhongfei Nausori Development Pte Limited.

The parties have plans to construct a five-storey complex.

The complex would include: Tourist accommodation units (2nd floor), retail shopping, restaurants, and functions area (first floor), supermar­ket, bakery, retail shops and car parking (ground floor).

Other developments

Furthermore, Reddy Dimond, McDonald’s, Charan Jeath Singh Complex, and a service station are still properties at the early stages of developments.

The Reddy Dimond development on Mistry Lane is expected to be double storey with retail shops and office space.

Along Kings Road towards Nakasi are: McDonald’s (opposite Saint Joseph the Worker School), Charan Jeath Singh Complex (beside Mobil, old Carpenters Building) and a proposed service station (beside Fiji National University’s Koronivia agriculture campus).

Open Spaces

Ms Bari urges more public-private partnerships as they have 52 open spaces in Nausori they hope to develop.

She said: “When we sell a piece of land to a developer five per cent of that land is to be returned back for civic use.

“We are hoping that private investors will step up and help us utilise the land properly.”

She said she was grateful to the continually active Nausori Chamber of Commerce and the newly formed Council Investment Advisory Committee.

She said: “It gives me hope knowing there are still people who are very passionate and have civic pride in helping develop and lift the town.”

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