Mahendra Chaudhry
8 May, 2021, 3:08 pm
Customers line-up outside a supermarket in Valelevu, Nasinu to do their shopping. Picture: ATU RASEA/FT FILE
First, let’s bust the popular myth that the Prime Minister’s office block will cost $7m.
A more realistic assessment of the cost for this highly controversial, luxury set of suites will likely be $50 million.
This misleading perception was created, deliberately or otherwise, in budget 2020/21 by an initial $7m allocation for the complex.
However, the budget estimates do show a projected allocation of further $7m for each of the years 22/23 – making a total outlay of $21m.
This again is grossly under-quoting the cost. I am reliably informed by well-placed architects and civil engineers that, judging from the design concept for the building, it is more likely to cost about $50m, if not more, with a completion time in excess of three years under the current condition.