9 Oct 2013

Skepticism in Fiji over future of casino project

7:56 am on 9 October 2013

The general secretary of Fiji's Hotel Workers Union, Daniel Urai, says there are serious doubts about whether the country's first ever casino will get off the ground.

The regime granted the casino licence to the American company One Hundred Sands Limited in December 2011 and construction of the multi-million dollar project on Denarau Island near Nadi, was expected to start last year.

The government extended the deadline twice and in June this year the developer announced construction had started but there's still no signs of any building work.

The Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has written to the developer asking for an explanation.

Daniel Urai says there is a lot of skepticism over the project.

"Particularly from the workers point of view, we were looking forward to the casino being made of course it would have created a number of employment but there's a lot of doubts now existing, we're not sure anymore whether this project will go ahead at all."

Daniel Urai.

It's understood part of the delay has been due to the change of location of the casino.