Proposals being developed in Fiji to build a 40 million US dollar ethanol plant are being described as a great direction for the country to take.
The comment, from the rural development organisation Partners in Community Development, follows reports of a government plan to produce ethanol from tavioka or cassava under a joint venture with a Chinese company.
Fiji's ambassador to China, Sir James Ah Koy, told the Fiji Live news site the project team is working closely with the Native Land Trust Board to identify unused land where the crops could be grown.
Partners in Community Development's executive director says if it's successful the plant will provide much-needed economic benefit to farmers.
But Alisi Daurewa is viewing the proposal with some scepticism.
"The institutions in place to be able to operationalise this great idea, they need to be very good themselves, they need to have good management practices and apply and practise good governance. No, we are sick and tired of poor governance in this country"
Alisi Daurewa of Partners in Community Development Fiji.
