The condition of the courthouse in Mulinuu is yet again a testament to the priority given to the maintenance of important infrastructure. Leaking air-conditioning units and falling ceiling pieces are just some of the problems faced at the courthouse.

The $62 million building is just around 15 years old. It was commissioned in 2010 through a loan from China. It was built to move away from the old building that was also falling apart. The status of the building just 15 years after it was built looks terrible. A clear representation of the maintenance work that has been undertaken.

The courthouse now joins the hospital building in the list of buildings that require maintenance urgently and a band-aid solution will not do. The buildings have cost us money and it would have been thought that a maintenance plan was in place. It also seems like budgetary allocation for maintenance may not be there resulting in the deterioration of public infrastructure.

The nation is facing a power crisis. It has now been determined that the reason behind this is the lack of maintenance. A major overhaul of the generators was needed but that was not done on time and now slowly one after another, generators have been damaged.

In all these cases, the key solution to the problems currently being faced is the lack of maintenance. The ministries responsible need to ensure that there is money for maintenance that happens routinely annually. If this was done to the courthouse and the hospital, we would not have pieces of the ceiling falling during court cases.

As a result of the condition of the courtrooms, some have been closed and court cases moved to other rooms. It is a surprise that the conditions of the courtrooms are that bad given that renovations took place just before the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The courthouse hosted several side events.

In October 2024, the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration Chief Executive Officer Papalii John Taimalelagi said he was adamant that the venue would be ready. "The renovations include the toilets, all the courtrooms and on to the elevators and the whole courthouse," he said.

Papalii said he hoped that the elevators in the front that are currently broken would be fixed before the CHOGM and if not, the judges' elevators at the back of the building would be used instead. Papalii ensured that everything would be fixed before CHOGM.

Did renovations take place before CHOGM if the situation of the courthouse is such? How much money was used for the task? Did participants of the side events sit in rooms that had broken ceilings? A lot to think about.

The government departments and ministries need to set aside money for maintenance and have a department dedicated to this task. It is not rocket science that proper and timely maintenance improves the life of infrastructure be it a building or a huge generator powering up the national grid. If each ministry cannot be given a department, then one department should be formed under the Ministry of Works that would be responsible for property management and maintenance.

Public facilities are important and provide the tools and resources to enjoy a safe, comfortable lifestyle. That is why it’s so important that these facilities receive regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly and safely for everyone who uses them. Regular maintenance helps prevent potential accidents or hazards and helps extend the life of these facilities which saves money in the long run. With proper care, public facilities can remain functional for many years while providing a safe environment for community members to use without worry or concern.