PRB flats cannot be permanently owned by residents - Bala

Tenants of the Public Rental Board flats in Kalabu who have lived there for 30 years have asked the government if they can buy the flats.

In a talanoa session attended by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Minister for Housing Praveen Bala and senior officials of PRB, a tenant said that his family has lived in the flats since the 1970s when it was built and if he could purchase the flat. 

Bala stated that PRB flats cannot be permanently owned as it is not in the PRB policy.

He adds that the government has other initiatives like the Housing Authority that helps people in obtaining a permanent home.

The resident told Bala that he had gone to a Housing Authority Office to lodge his application to own a house in one of their housing developments, but he could not afford the $60,000 it would have cost him.

Bala replied that they have come up with ways so that low income earners can have a chance to get a house of their own which is achieved through dropping the price from $60,000 to $15,000 to $20,000 for PRB tenants.

Bala says that this applies to government initiatives such as the ones in Wainibuku, Nepani and Davuilevu which has 157 units.

Four residents raised concerns about the drainage problem in the area, as most of the already existing flats are affected by the flooded drains during heavy rain.

They said that the drain overflows into the compounds and inside their flats.

A PRB representative said that they will try and deepen the drain but the main issue that they face is blockage of the outlet in the area during heavy rain.