The Government of Japan has provided a new Backhoe loader to Nasinu Town Council funded through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme.

The Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Mr Yutaka Yoshizawa officially handed over the Backhoe loader to the Special Administrator of Nasinu Town Council, Mr Mosese Kama, at 10.00 am on Friday, 1st October, 2010 at Nasinu Town Council Office.

Nasinu Town council received a total of approximately $176,633.00 to purchase a brand new backhoe loader to replace an old backhoe loader for the emerging population of Nasinu. Nasinu Town is the largest of all municipalities with the current population of over 100,000 and has no main business centre but many commercial and industrial centres with densely populated residential areas. While Nasinu Town Council faces financial constraints similar to other municipalities, it is envisaged that this project will assist the Nasinu Town to improve efficiency in sanitation and safety for its sustainable environment, and also would ease the financial constraints faced by the Town Council in providing the required service for its population.

Japan’s assistance to this project indicates its commitment to contribute to the improvement of the living standards and welfare of people in the Fiji Islands and is in line with its Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy of promoting development at the grassroots level. The GGP programme is specifically designed to address basic human needs, which include sanitary environment, water supply, health, basic education, vocational training, and rural infrastructure.  It is hoped that this assistance will help further strengthen the friendly ties currently enjoyed by the governments and the peoples of the Fiji Islands and Japan.