WE set out around 6am on Wednesday — Jone Namua at the wheel, senior photographer Eliki Nukutabu beside him, and me in the back. Our destination: Nasoqo Village to report on the Naitasiri Provincial Council meeting.
The morning chill greeted us early, but the cold grew sharper as we drove deeper into the interior of Viti Levu. The journey itself was an adventure. For me, a first-timer, it was also a test of endurance and balance. Jone knew the roads like the back of his hand, but even his experience navigating Naitasiri’s rugged terrain could not shield us from the jolts and tosses of the endless winding road.
At times it felt like a ride to nowhere. Then it struck me — this is daily life for those who call the upper reaches of Naitasiri home. Children travel these roads every morning just to reach school. Farmers load their produce onto carriers, enduring the same bone-rattling journey to sell in Suva or Nausori markets. Each pothole and dip was a reminder of the hardships endured by communities here.
We crossed bridges where clear, icy water flowed below, a reminder of the rugged beauty of Naitasiri. Hills and valleys stretched in every direction, breathtaking but also isolating.
By the time we reached Nasoqo — four hours later — we were greeted by two more struggles: water shortages and no mobile connectivity.
The irony was glaring. Just minutes away sits the Monasavu Dam, powering much of Fiji, yet here villagers live without reliable water or communication. Even filing our stories became a challenge until staff from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics kindly shared their internet connection.
In the highlands, kindness and community spirit keep the people going. But these alone cannot make up for decades of neglect. The struggles of Naitasiri are shared by many rural and remote areas across Fiji — and they demand urgent government action if progress and development are to reach the heart of the interior.
