Ritika Pratap 
The Ministry of Local Government has received a total of 2,186 building permit applications, collectively valued at $1.16 billion, from January to November this year.
Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa says that 25 percent of these applications were for commercial, industrial, and tourism-related projects -sectors that play a transformative role in Fiji’s economic diversification and resilience.
Nalumisa highlights that this upward trend is a clear indication of the growing demand within Fiji’s economy.
He further adds that, by leveraging modern systems and streamlining processes, his Ministry aims to develop a building permit application system that is not only more efficient but also promotes greater transparency and accountability.
In alignment with the government’s digital transformation agenda, Nalumisa states that his Ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Trade to develop the Building Permit Approval System
He described the BPAS as a key element of the project business landscape in Fiji, designed to streamline business processes and support economic growth.
Currently, the Ministry is piloting a component of the BPAS portal, which tracks all building applications lodged at Municipal Councils electronically. Real-time updates are now being shared between the Municipal Councils and the Department of Town and Country Planning.
Since September 1st, all Municipal Councils have adopted a unified tracking system, along with a Standard Operating Procedure for assessing and processing building applications.
