On June 15, 1998, The Fiji Times reported that plans to build a private hospital would materialise once the negotiations between the Colonial Memorial Mutual Life and Health Care Australia were finalised in August.

The $5million hospital hoped to create employment and provide what other hospitals offered with affordable charges.

The new proposal was revealed on June 14 by Colonial assistant manager Simon Swanson.

Mr Swanson said the plan had been shelved since 1978 because Colonial had chosen not to invest because of the lack of expertise in managing hospitals.

He said Colonial had been negotiating with Health Care Australia and promoters of Pacific Hospitals Ltd to get both parties to join them in the project.

Health Care Australia managed 43 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand including Indonesia.

“And we hope they would join Colonial land a number of private investors in building a private hospital in Fiji,” he said.

“We anticipate all coming together sometime in July or August of this year for a final announcement.”

He said under the process Health Care Australia was to be an investor and manager.

“It will also be a significant investor and we believe that with Colonial being an investor and Health Care of Australia which is a division of the main nucleus, the project would be comfortable for the people of Fiji.

He said Colonial was to look at 3 per cent shares.

Mr Swanson was not ready to discuss other potential local partners who were to join once everything was finalised.

The hospital was to accommodate 35 patients in Suva and probably five beds for an allocated centre in the West.

“We are looking at the corner of Denison Rd and that’s subject to approval.

“That’s subject to final negotiation at this stage.”

He said the hospital would offer what was affordable to the public.