THE Kadavu Development Plan 2025-2035 is a crucial document aimed at empowering villagers, says provincial council chairman Isikeli Vuniwaqa.
With various challenges faced by villagers for many years, Mr Vuniwaqa said the plan paved a clearer pathway that would guide the chiefs and people of Kadavu to achieving their goals enlisted in the document.
“Kadavu has always been in isolation for many decades, simply because of its geographical structure,” he said.
“It’s hilly, it’s mainly accessible by water. Now that the whole infrastructure is improving, that has helped a little bit, but the main problems at this point in time are transportation from Kadavu to Suva and vice versa, and communication.
“The network of communication on the island is bad compared to what other provinces have; we suffer very bad links and that’s one downside of our development.”
During yesterday’s launching, held at the Great Council of Chief’s centre in Suva, he said involved a lot of commitment and contribution over the past two years.
“It has taken two years for us to develop our strategic development plan and has been a painstaking exercise simply because we have to do a wide consultation.
“We wanted to make it a very inclusive plan, including consulting the people of Kadavu on the various levels – the provincial council members, the various government departments, the national planning office, the iTaukei Affairs Board, Multi-Ethnic and the Rural Development.”
Development committee chairman Akuila Masi said the plan was basically divided into five key priority areas.
Mr Masi said this plan would boost opportunities for the people of Kadavu.
