WHEN he lost his job at an accounting firm during the Lautoka COVID-19 lockdown last year, Praveen Chand entered the market vending business.
Things were going well until the April lockdown this year when he was forced to leave his Raviravi, Ba home and relocate to Lautoka because of the containment border.
“I live in Raviravi with my wife, children, mother and grandmother and until last month, my Tavakubu Satellite Market stall was keeping us afloat,” he said.
Mr Chand said when Government announced the April 19 Lautoka and Nadi lockdowns, he was faced to make a very difficult decision.
“If I stayed in Ba, I knew I would not be able to support my family.
“So my wife and I decided to move in with relatives in Lautoka. My mother and my grandmother stayed behind in Raviravi.”
He said while moving into the Lautoka containment area has been a challenge, business has been thriving.
“I think it’s been really good because the traffic is coming this way to the Tavakubu market.
“Apart from the Lautoka market, we are the only market that is allowed to open.”
Mr Chand said vendors had been forced to jack up prices because of the added cost of picking produce from the containment borders.
He said despite the price increase, residents were flocking in to stock up on fresh vegetables.
