More than two years after the $1.5 million Ratu Sukuna Park upgrade project launch, and more than a year since development work began on the site, authorities remain mum on what the future holds for the once popular hangout for city siders.

The Fiji Times noted the park has been left idle for almost two years with no work or workmen on site.

In November, 2020, then Local Government Minister Premila Kumar launched the project with much fanfare, however, because of COVID-19 restrictions, work officially began in September, 2021.

She told the media in August, 2022, that the project should be completed within the 2022-2023 financial year.

However, with the end of the 2022-2033 financial year four months away, there are no signs the project will be completed within the timeframe.

The Fiji Times on several occasions attempted to get comments from the Suva City Council and new Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa had been unsuccessful.

SCC acting CEO Azam Khan has deferred meetings with journalists from this newspaper on several occasions.

He told a Fiji Times reporter on February 14 he would address the questions relating to the park in a combined meeting with the Fiji Police Force and the Suva Retailers Association on February 22.

However, the proposed meeting was deferred to a later date as he claimed other interested parties such as the Fiji Bus Operators Association would be part of the meeting to discuss issues in the Capital City.

Apart from the SCC deferring meetings and avoiding questions in relation to the park upgrade, the Local Government Ministry’s silence has also been deafening with emails and phone messages ignored and unacknowledged and visits to the ministry’s office unsuccessful.

The only update on the status of the park was a post on the ministry’s Facebook page on January,10, which showed a visit by Mr Katamotu and Assistant Minister Lenora Qereqeretabua to the site to be updated on the project.

The post said construction would start in the next few months and the project was expected to be completed before the end of 2023.

Many fear Ratu Sukuna Park could suffer the same fate as Shirley Park, Lautoka – a project that has remained dormant since 2015 after the mega-fanfare launch of a multi-million hotel project by former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Seven years later, a huge portion of the Lautoka recreation area remains boarded off from recreational use, overgrown with weeds and a hangout for the homeless.