Infrastructures Under Scrutiny
A former Chinese state-owned construction company is the subject of the latest complaint alleging structural and design issues with several projects it has worked on in Fiji, including those that were approved by the former Government.
Yanjian Group, a private construction company from China, was involved in several million-dollar projects including the Chinese-funded Navua Hospital, Flagstaff Plaza in Suva, Nakasi and Lautoka Police stations, Vodafone Arena, Ba Court, Ba Hospital, Navosa Hospital and others.
In March this year, Yanjian Group signed on to redevelop Ratu Cakobau House in Nausori Town.
Founded in 1952, Yanjian Group turned private in 2004 and is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company operates in Fiji through Yanjian Group (Fiji), its local subsidiary that was registered in 2012.
The Australian National University, through its Discussion Paper titled “Mapping PRC Companies in the Pacific”, issued in November last year, ranked the company as one of the leading construction companies in Fiji, having worked on a long list of projects in Viti Levu.
We reached out to Yanjian Group for a comment from director Li Peng on the allegations and the company’s work and plans.
The company’s Business Manager Kimmy Han said Mr Li declined to comment.
Mr Kimmy said: “I have checked with Li Peng. He is in China at the moment, and he cannot assist on this.”
DESIGN DEFECTS
The Navua Hospital project was among the initial major projects for Yanjian Group.
In November 2009, Fiji and China signed a FJ$7.8 million grant funding commitment for the new hospital, according to AidData. Yanjian Group was the contractor on the project.
Once dubbed a key infrastructural achievement for the Ministry of Health, the Navua hospital has come under scrutiny for defects that allegedly stem from the original Chinaaided construction project.
A well-informed source close to the situation, who chose to speak anonymously, confirmed that an assessment of the hospital’s electrical wiring in 2023 revealed that it was of a “different standard” from the standard complied with in Fiji.
“The Fiji national standard for electrical work that we have with EFL is the Australia-New Zealand standard for electrical wiring,” they said.
“The one we have in Navua is different from what we [are supposed to] have in Fiji.
“So that’s been the challenge for our team when we evaluate and address the issues, we have in Navua.”
The hospital’s apparent electrical problems were at the centre of a media controversy that year. The issues at the hospital prompted Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Biman Prasad, to call for an “overhaul”.
A former Ministry of Health officer, who was well-informed of the issue, explained that the electrical problems affected the reliability of the hospital’s power supply.
The design of the hospital was reportedly initially managed by the Prime Minister’s Office of the previous Government and did not involve the ministry.
“The management of the building and construction could’ve been more open and feedback-based,” said the former staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“The hospital was handed over to MHMS after it was done. Before that, from what I heard, MHMS had little
input.”
A follow-up site inspection of Navua hospital in 2014 and maintenance work in 2016 by the Chinese government took place. However, the former Health staff said the report from that visit was not given to the ministry.
Attempts to get a comment from Permanent Secretary for Health Dr Jemesa Tudravu and the former acting PS in 2014, Dr Meciusela Tuicakau were unsuccessful.
The former official said there was a team comprising health staff, the
Chinese Embassy and public works working to address those problems.
The former official acknowledged that the Chinese had contributed a lot to Fiji’s development and said the ministry had set up a development partner coordinator group for all its development partners, including the Chinese, to mobilise better outcomes for projects.
“It’s not the development partner. It’s how we sort ourselves out to manage the development partner,” the former staff said.
Questions sent to the Minister for
Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua, remain unanswered.
Mr Tikoduadua was the permanent secretary to the PM’s Office when Fiji signed the agreement with China in 2009.
FIJI-CHINA COOPERATION
Chinese construction companies have played a key role in shaping Fijian infrastructure across different sectors, from transport and health to education, industry, and government.
During Prime Minister Sitiveni
Rabuka’s official visit to Vanua Levu this week, for a feasibility study of China-sponsored road upgrades, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian underscored his government’s longstanding cooperation amid questions about the PRC’s influence in Fiji.
China has been one of Fiji’s largest development partners.
Annual Official Development Finance (ODF) to Fiji, which includes grants, loans, and other assistance averaged US$246 million (in constant 2021 US$) or FJ$554 million between 2008 and 2021, according to the Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map 2023 Key Findings Report.
Three-quarters of the ODF support to Fiji was contributed by its five largest development partners, the report said.
China had the third largest share, behind Asian Development Bank and Australia.