Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is leading a closed-door meeting with Heads of Government Departments in Rakiraki this morning as the Government begins a two-day tour of Fiji’s Western cane belt aimed at gathering views on the future of the sugar industry.
The meeting, being held at the Tanoa Rakiraki Hotel, is closed to the media and serves as the opening engagement before a series of consultations by the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry.
Senior government officials, including divisional heads, representatives from the Fiji Police Force, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Office of the Commissioner Western, the iTaukei Land Trust Board and education officials are among those attending the first consultation.
Following the government officials’ meeting, the committee will meet sugarcane farmers from the Rakiraki district at the GSR Hall before travelling to Ba.
The delegation will then have lunch at the Rarawai Sugar Mill, tour the mill and later hold consultations with farmers from the Ba mill area at the Ba Civic Centre.
On Thursday, the committee will continue its consultations in Lautoka, where it will meet sugar industry institutions and stakeholders at the Fiji Sugar Corporation Training Centre before holding another consultation with farmers.
The programme also includes a tour of the Lautoka Sugar Mill before the delegation travels to Lomawai for its final consultation with sugarcane farmers at Tuva Primary School in Maro.
The site visit is part of the Special Committee’s efforts to engage directly with farmers, industry stakeholders and government agencies as it reviews the challenges and future direction of Fiji’s sugar industry.
