Cane access roads have not improved since 2010 because the past government allocated equal funds for all, without considering the distance or any other features of the road.

Farmer Uraia Waqa, who was also a Sugar Cane Growers Council rep of Vunicuicui, outside Labasa Town, said this budget had to cater for gravel and contractor expenses. These reps were terminated from their post by the Bainimarama government after it removed the grower’s council representatives.

Mr Waqa told Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad during a budget consultation that the long cane access roads were allocated the same budget as the shorter roads.

“This was the biggest problem and with the high cost of gravel plus the contractors, the budget given was never enough,” he said.

“Sometimes, the access road is quite long but the gravel purchased from the budget allocated was not enough so the gravel only covered a few kilometres of the road.”

He said prior to 2010, the budget was done according to the distance of the road, condition of crossings, bridges or culverts and other features of the road. “So when the budget was given, we would look at it with the FSC sector officers and divided according to the distance of the road.

“Government should bring back the council reps to make it easy for farmers.”