Yesterday at site next to Wyndham Vacation Resorts where the proposed casino by One Hundred Sands Limited is to be built on Denarau Island in Nadi. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA
It’s May but little
happening at site
By JYOTI PRATIBHA
The Government does not want to speculate on the construction of Fiji’s first casino by One Hundred Sands Limited.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said he had earlier made his views on the deadline for the casino work to start known and nothing has changed.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum had earlier stated that if construction of the casino does not start by May this year, there would be consequences.
He said that an extension of time had been given to the license holders to start construction by a particular date in May.
“A deadline has been given and we hope they meet all the requirements by the deadline,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
Developments
Not much development has taken place since April last year’s ground breaking ceremony. But when the Fiji Sun team visited the casino site at the Denarau Island yesterday, we noted that some new building materials had been delivered at the site.
The ready-to-build fences and concrete slabs seem to have been delivered recently.
However, those on the island said they were yet to see any construction crew.
Exclusive casino license
Next to the site is the office of Tabua Investments. Staff present at the office yesterday said they had not noticed the delivery of the fence materials, nor had they seen people at the site.
Government had announced in December 2011 its decision to grant Fiji’s first-ever exclusive casino license to One Hundred Sands.
One Hundred Sands was to build a five-star luxury casino resort on Denarau Island, in partnership with the Snoqualmie Tribe from the US.
Whilst the groundbreaking ceremony for this announced US$290 million project was held in April last year, works at the Denarau Island site has not started as per the original schedule.
The opening of the 100 Sands Casino and Convention Centre was earmarked for October this year.
The resort is also listed to have a 1600 seat state-of-the-art convention centre.
Chairman of the Board of One Hundred Sands, investor Larry Claunch, could not be contacted for comment yesterday. An email to him was not answered and a Fijian phone number was switched off.