Southern Lau people were feared ‘cut off’ from the rest of Fiji if the Government failed to replace the 212-ton ship Uluilakeba which sank during Cyclone Lottie on December 11, causing a loss of 79 lives.
The plight of the people of Lau was highlighted in The Fiji Times on Monday, December 31, 1973. Don Aidney, a director of Williams and Gosling Ltd, agent for Uluilakeba, said a replacement ship was inevitable.
“If this is not done, people in the islands will not be able to get their copra to Suva and will not have any form of transport to the hospital,” Mr Aidney said.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Ratu Penaia Ganilau, who was the Minister for Communications said the Government was considering a temporary shipping service to southern Lau.
“This ship will do the work until a replacement is found for Uluilakeba,” Ratu Penaia said.
Islands in southern Lau included Kabara, Fulaga, Totoya, Matuku, Ogea, Vatoa, Namuka-i-Lau and Moce.
My Aidney said commercial ships would not go to islands in southern Lau because the routes were uneconomic.
The islands were far and small.
