1. Could you begin by introducing Construction Managers Global in its role across New Zealand and Fiji?
Construction Managers Global was established about 12 years ago. The name comes from the international group of people who were working in the business, from South Africa, Ireland, England, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and islands throughout the region.
We started with Fiji Airports, delivering the redevelopment of the Nadi International airport over approximately five years. It was a significant transformation, although the airport is now about to go through another transformation because it has outgrown its capacity and will probably need to double in size.
We initially operated as project managers, cost managers and engineers, with around 30 professional engineers and quantity surveyors. We then developed into construction management, alongside our sister company, Core Contracts Construction, which focuses on unique structures and buildings.
A major part of our expertise is modular and prefabricated construction. We can pre-manufacture finished products or complete units, such as bathrooms and villas offshore, dismantle them and then transport them to an island where they are reassembled as functioning units. This minimizes traditional time consuming construction on an island and encourages an increase on the assembly process.
We recently fabricated and supplied a fully modular 116-room building that was manufactured overseas and re-assembled in Fiji. That is one of the things that makes us unique: bringing in specialist products and pre-finished components to minimize traditional construction methods required on site.
We have a variety of multi lingual staff in our company that spend a significant amount of time overseas sourcing materials for us. We are always looking for high end, durable products suitable for tropical island environments. These include pre-finished cement boards and other materials that can be assembled without relying on traditional time consuming construction methods.
Around 30% of our business involves sourcing products such as structural steel, tiles, joinery and other construction materials from Asian countries. We have developed a specific skill set around finding unique, durable and pre-finished products that are not traditionally available in Fiji and outlast island weather conditions.
Fiji has traditionally relied heavily on conventional construction methods, so our company is set up to introduce new products, approaches and develop new skill sets for local Fijians. We also want to complement and add value to, rather than compete directly with, traditional builders by focusing on projects that require specialist solutions and enhance the end result.
2. CMG has delivered some of Fiji’s most significant projects, from the Nadi International Airport transformation to current 5 star luxury resort developments. Could you tell us about the breadth of your portfolio and what these landmark projects mean for Fiji?
We have been very fortunate to work with leading luxury developments in Fiji. I believe seeing the projects we have done and are working on, will speak far louder then trying to explain them. Our our projects are available to view on our website www.cmgnz.com.
We have been fortunate to build our skill base carrying out renovations, building new structures, introducing the right skills and bringing in the appropriate materials to transform Tropical Island environments.
One of the issues in Fiji at the moment is resources. I am very careful to make sure that we do not overstretch ourselves by trying to secure every project that comes our way. We have been fortunate so far to have picked the right projects that reflect the strength of our company and to work with the right clients. We are proud to currently be the project Managers for one of Fiji’s largest tourism developments to date. This development is going to be a significant step up for Denarau and Fiji. It includes more than 5,500 square meters of water park facilities and high-end luxury accommodation.
We have always looked for the right projects and the right partners, and we work hard on those relationships so that we understand and deliver accordingly to our clients’ needs and expectations.
After many years in the industry, I have noticed there are a many buildings and developments that have been constructed without necessarily meeting the client's needs. That can happen because of a lack of communication and understanding.
We work very closely with our clients. On major projects, we meet daily and work alongside their teams. We engage with the back-of-house and front-of-house staff, from the general manager through the wider team, to understand how the property will actually be used.
We also have a division of quantity surveyors and cost managers working with the client’s budget requirements. We might receive a design that is approximately 60% developed, and from that point we work through value engineering and construction methodology to make sure the project can be delivered within the established budget.
The design evolves, and materials and construction methods can change, to ensure that the client's budget is respected while still delivering the required outcome.
3. Construction is a major economic driver. How does the sector contribute to investment, employment and infrastructure in Fiji? What role does quality project management play in delivering complex projects successfully?
One of the key things we do is to integrate our local staff with the specialist expat skills that we bring into the country.
Core Construction employs around 80 local staff on this project, while the overall project currently has just under 600 people working on it. Around 185 are foreign workers. What we ensure is that local employees are integrated into the right teams with the foreign workers so that we can keep educating and transferring knowledge and skills to our local employees.
We also take on graduates every year, bringing in interns and graduates and helping them develop into young engineers.
For example, one of our current expat carpentry supervisors is 76 years old. He is an exceptionally skilled boat builder who has built his own yacht and sailed it here. He is now working with our local Fijian carpenters to pass on the skills and knowledge he has developed throughout his career.
4. Fiji’s tourism growth is fueling demand for resorts, hospitality upgrades and supporting infrastructure. How do you see construction and tourism development reinforcing one another?
The economy has been growing at a very fast pace over the last three or four years here in Fiji, and the resources required to keep up with that pace are a challenge.
Most of our materials are now imported from Asia. Traditionally, they would have come from New Zealand or Australia, but that has changed over the last couple of years, with the significant amount of the material needed to support Fiji’s growth.
I think that is one of the reasons we have been able to keep up with the demand created by Fiji’s growth. We source from the places that are able to supply to growing tourism development expectations. Our expertise and supply in modular construction is also one of our biggest resources in construction that help reinforce Fiji’s hospitality upgrades and the increase in demand for more tourism developments. Modular construction allows us to support the growth in development.
5. Building in Fiji and across the Pacific brings unique challenges involving logistics, materials, skills and remote island sites. What are the biggest opportunities and obstacles in delivering world-class construction in this environment?
Our most remote project recently was for development on an island called Kiribati, approximately a three-hour flight from Fiji and almost halfway between Fiji and Hawaii.
It takes two-weeks for a barge to cross from Fiji to Kiribati, and the barge only goes every six weeks. The planning for that project actually took longer than the construction.
We had to plan everything down to every bag of cement and every nail we would need. We took our own kitchen, cooks and accommodation. Everything was flat-packed, loaded onto a barge and transported to Kiribati.
We had a team of around 40 people on the island. They stayed there for just under a year to complete the project and have since returned to Fiji.
Fiji, where we are currently based is really the central hub of the South Pacific, this allows us to accommodate to projects in Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands for a number of companies.
We have developed a specific team of people who are comfortable adapting to remote living. It has taken us years to build a team that is prepared to leave their families and stay away for extended periods in places with very limited facilities.
It takes a unique type of person to work and live in very remote locations, but if the project is planned properly, it works and the job gets done.
We have also started using our own vessels to transport staff and tools to outer island projects because you cannot mix construction staff with tourism vessels. We send a barge to the project once a week or once a fortnight carrying materials.
We have two full-time coordinators whose job is to manage the materials, making sure that everything from the tile adhesive to the tiles and grout arrives when required.
A good example of a challenge in working in the islands is that I currently have two people who have flown to Kiribati to service a pump. There is only one flight a week. A repair that might cost around $2,000 on the mainland can cost $35,000 to $40,000 in Kiribati once you account for transporting two people and keeping them there for a week.
Planning is therefore critical. Sometimes having a spare pump and transferring the knowledge to local staff is the most effective way to manage these challenges.
If you forget one vital piece of equipment, it can become a major problem. You not only have to be very strategic in organizing and planning but also prepare in advance for the things that can go wrong.
On our current large scale project on the Vitilevu (main Island of Fiji), we receive between 30 and 40 containers every month. We have to unload them, store the materials and use several remote storage locations because there is not enough space on the project itself.
We bring materials in, (Just in time.) Sometimes materials arrive six weeks before we need them, because we need to know that it is available when construction reaches that stage.
Shipping is also increasingly challenging. I would estimate that around 50% of shipping from Asian countries is currently late. Due to the issues affecting shipping routes, delivery times are difficult to predict.
Our planning therefore means that materials often need to be available two months before we actually require them. This affects the client's cash flow and when materials have to be purchased, but if the materials are not available, the project stops.
These challenges are also providing a solution by driving greater interest in prefabricated construction and pre-finished materials, because they reduce some of that risk and can also allow projects to be completed faster than traditional construction methods.
6. Operating across both New Zealand and Fiji, how does CMG bring international standards, expertise and capability to Fijian projects while supporting local employment, training and the development of local trades and talent?
Our engineering team in Fiji consists of approximately 35 professionals. Our cost managers and quantity surveyors are educated to overseas standards, while our senior commercial managers are RICS-trained and hold internationally recognized qualifications.
Our electrical, mechanical, civil and structural engineers also hold international qualifications. Where possible, particularly with structural and civil engineering, we support further education to our senior local employees through educating them with universities in Brisbane so that their qualifications are internationally recognized.
Beyond formal qualifications, I believe the mix of real life experience and knowledge within our team both in New Zealand and Fiji is also extremely valuable. Our staff have worked around the world, including in the UK, Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and South Africa. They bring real life international experience, transfer of knowledge and a variety of ways of approaching projects.
The mix of staff and knowledge benefits everybody.
Around 40% of our professional staff in Fiji are Fijian, and we have taken many of them directly from university. Three of our team members have now been with us for more than 10 years.
One of our local team members has even progressed from cadet to project manager where he is currently managing a project valued at FJD $230m. As a company this makes us very proud.
7. Technology and modern methods are transforming construction worldwide. How is CMG using technology, project management systems and improved practices to enhance efficiency, quality and delivery across its projects?
We use a number of technology platforms for sharing information so that teams can collaborate without having to download huge files. We also have around 10 to 12 members of staff who are CAD-trained and can design and share information digitally.
We are also starting to use AI much more. We have had around six staff members go through AI training. Once or twice a month, those who have been trained sit down with the wider team and share what they have learned.
The accessibility of AI and the way we can now find and use information has absolutely changed our industry over the last three or four years, and it is going to continue to change it.
At the same time, we need to balance technology with experience and knowledge. We do not want to pursue an idea simply because it is new. It has to add value to the company and how it operates.
Listening to the youth entering our industry and having them share their ideas is also important for growth. I believe once you reach a certain point in your career, your ideas can become fixed.
With the technological changes happening in our industry, it is important to listen to new ideas because they are what will help adapt the industry and find new solutions to construction obstacles.
8. Sustainability and climate resilience are increasingly critical, especially for island and coastal development. How does CMG incorporate environmental responsibility, resilient design and sustainable construction into its projects?
We are very respectful of our environment. Most of our current projects are tourism-related, and I think increasingly tourists look at where they are staying and what has been built when judging a resort or hotel.
The use of local labour and local products is important. I also believe we need to build more sustainably so that buildings do not have to be replaced every three or four years.
We need to look at alternatives that are made correctly and use the right products. We should not rely on plastic all the time, particularly when plastic waste is becoming a major issue for islands and we see so much of it washing up on our shores.
Our industry plays a significant role because construction generates a lot of waste, and we need to think carefully about how that waste is managed.
For example, we are not using any plasterboard on this project. There is a tremendous amount of waste associated with plasterboard, and in Fiji’s humid environment, mould can also become a problem. Modular pre-fabricated construction is also great solution for resilient design in Island environments.
Using the right materials is about sustainability, but it is also about creating long-term durability and ensuring that the building performs well for guests and operators.
9. North America is a significant source of investment and development interest in Fiji. What opportunities do you see for attracting more investors and developers from the United States, particularly from the West Coast and California? And how is CMG positioned to deliver for them?
We work with a number of clients from the United States. What I particularly enjoy about working with our American colleagues is the enthusiasm they bring. They are very proactive, positive, hands-on and usually have a clear vision of what they want to achieve.
Fiji offers significant opportunities for development, and there is an ability to move projects forward without excessive red tape. We are working with a number of developers who have a clear vision.
We have also had great support from the Fiji Government and from the building control and infrastructure organizations we work with to support developments and make sure they move forward at continue pace.
From all the places I have worked around the world, Fiji is a very easy culture to work within.
For an American investor, Fiji offers a relatively straightforward environment in which to develop. It is also a safe and welcoming country, which is an important consideration for international investors and their teams.
10. Looking ahead, what is your vision for CMG over the next five to 10 years? And finally, what message would you like to share with Los Angeles Times readers about Fiji as a place to build, invest and develop, and what sets CMG apart?
Fiji is a great place to develop. The climate is fairly consistent throughout the year, with a wet season and a dry season, and the temperatures are generally very temperate.
That makes it possible for a resort or other tourism development to operate throughout the year. We have done a lot of work in New Zealand, where the tourism season is much shorter, generally running from November through April or May.
Fiji can operate 12 months a year.
I think Fiji’s climate and its position in the South Pacific are major advantages. It is around three hours from Australia and three hours from New Zealand, while there are direct flights from the United States into Nadi.
The transfer times are also simple. In many destinations, you fly somewhere and then have another long transfer. Fiji does not have that same level of complexity.
We have beautiful beaches and some of the cleanest oceans, but there are also parts of Fiji that remain relatively undiscovered.
The central part of Fiji, with its tropical jungles and highlands, is one area that has not yet really taken off.
The Central Highlands are a different world, and there is still significant potential to discover and develop these parts of Fiji responsibly. As for inspiring people to build and develop in Fiji… why not build and live in paradise?
