New hostel to meet Ba’s student needs

Fiji Live - April 01, 2010 

One hundred and thirty two students of Ba province studying in Suva will soon no longer have to worry about accommodation with plans underway for a three-storey hostel to be built.

The new building will sit on a piece of land in Samabula that has just been bought by the council at a cost of $384,000.

The 1898 square metre land already has an existing two storey building which Ba tertiary students are expected to use in semester two this year, as soon as renovations are complete.

The five-year plan (2010-2014) for the new hostel is being administered by the Adi Salusalu Ba Trust (ASBT) committee within the Ba provincial council.

The new building, which will also accommodate meetings for the people of Ba working in Suva, will house a total of 120 students.

Four rooms on the ground floor will house 24 students, with six in one room; 12 rooms on the first floor will accommodate 60 students, with five in each room; and finally 12 rooms on the second floor will house 36 students, with three in one room.

The cost of the three-storey building, which will also house a conference room, kitchen and dining room, is yet to be determined.

Should all the rooms be fully occupied, the building is expected to rake in a total of $24,000 per month or $288,000 - $300,000 per year, for the province.