Market vendors in Savusavu can now breathe a sigh of relief after Local Government Minister Premila Kumar commissioned the ground breaking ceremony of the new double-storey market.
In commissioning the ground-breaking ceremony at the Savusavu market yesterday, Mrs Kumar said construction work would start soon and vendors would no longer use temporary stalls once the market is completed.
“The Fijian Government, in the 2021-29022 Budget, allocated $169,003 for the design and documentation works of the market.
“For the construction of Savusavu Market, UN Women has contributed a sum of FJD$700,000. For this financial year, the Council has been allocated $1million for the commencement of the construction works of the Municipal Market,” she said.
“Savusavu is known as the “Bluetown”, as aligned with the Bluetown Concept and the Bluetown model is a critical component of the economic recovery and resiliency.
“Fiji will advance the Savusavu Blue Town initiative as a powerful replicable model to ensure local communities not only survive but thrive.”
Mrs Kumar said she was aware that the vendors of Savusavu have waited for a very long time for a proper market to operate from.
“The new market will give an opportunity to 184 vegetable vendors to sell their produce from a modern facility with capacity and space for new vendors,” she said.
“I am advised that the market will provide services to the entire people of Cakaudrove, approximately 60,000 people, yachts, tourists and hoteliers.”
Mrs Kumar acknowledged the support from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Through the Markets for Change (M4C) Program that has contributed towards market infrastructure and human development by providing capacity building trainings for the market vendors.
Meanwhile, vendor Eroni Bobi said it was time that vendors be given a new market to sell from because they have endured various weather conditions over the past three years.
