HEAVY downpours have made it impossible for public service vehicles to enter the Maneyava stretch near Barotu in Ra.

As a result, young children from the village are forced to walk about 3.5 kilometres to Tokaimalo District School, while secondary school students leave home as early as 5am to attend classes in St Francis School and Ra High School along the Kings Rd.

The children walk in the rain through muddy and dangerous tracks because of the bad condition of the road.

William Taria, a rural service vehicle driver, said he stopped driving his vehicle because maintenance costs had skyrocketed.

“The road gets worse every time it rains,” he said.

“We used to have buses coming into the village but now no vehicle will risk coming inside our road.

“My brother bought the car to help with transporting our people to where they wanted to go but when the road condition became worse we had to return the vehicle to Lautoka.

“We couldn’t afford the maintenance.”

Maneyava villager Elenoa Kedrabai said travelling to Rakiraki was expensive for the villagers.

“Every time we go to town we have to buy a month’s worth of rations,” she said.

“Imagine walking with all of that food and no vehicle to help us.”

Litia Tuinuve said she worried about children trekking through the long route, especially when it rained.

“They walk in the rain and have to climb up a steep hill to get to school. I really feel for them but we are helpless.”