For years, the pleas of the people of Tokaimalo in Ra for a new road have fallen on deaf ears.
The people of Tokaimalo, who live in Navavai, Naivutu villages and Drekeniwai settlement, can only access essential services if they walk or ride on horseback for two hours because of the poor condition of the road.
They face the same problem if they need medical attention or take their crops to the markets.
Daniele Waisale, of Navavai Village in Tokaimalo, said the road, which was supposed to link Ra with Tavua, was inaccessible for a while, leaving villagers no choice but to travel a day early in order to access essential services.
Soloveni Rokocua, a 52-year-old from Nayawe, said the road was in a poor state, covered by overgrown grass and not visible to the travelling public.
“Because it’s overgrown, the road cannot be accessed by people, only animals,” he said. “Carriers and buses turn back at Raviravi Village because of the road’s inaccessibility.”
Mr Rokocua was trying to get to the hospital to seek medical assistance when a team from this newspaper caught up with him.
“I have to come on horseback in order to reach the hospital, and in this heat it’s really difficult. It’s worse for pregnant women,” he said.
Ra provincial administrator Etuate Koroisavua said the road issue had been raised many times at district and provincial meetings, but nothing had been done to address it.
Questions sent to the Fiji Roads Authority on Monday (March 14) remained unanswered when this edition went to the press.
