Levuka has experienced a significant downturn in economic activity since the relocation of the Commissioner Eastern’s Office from the island to Suva.
This was highlighted by Levuka Town Council acting CEO Nunia Labati in response to queries from the Standing Committee on Social Affairs last Thursday.
Representatives from the council were in Suva to deliver a presentation before the committee on its 2012-2013 Annual Reports.
During this session, Ms Labati told the committee the business scene in Levuka was impoverished because of the economic decline brought on by the closure of multiple businesses since the ’90s.
“Subsequent to the relocation in Knollys St, Suva, of the Commissioner Eastern’s Office, which also meant the relocation of the division heads in Nausori and Suva, Levuka slowly but surely spiralled into an economic recession,” she said.
She said many grocery and tailoring shops had shut down, alongside the closure of the singular movie theatre and the lack of live bands for social events. Ms Labati said the decrease in tourist arrivals meant the 500 beds offered on the island decreased to about 200 today.
Despite being geographically distanced, Ms Labati said Levuka was one of the most serviced islands in terms of shipping as they had almost 20 ship visits every week.
“A large number of ratepayers have either left Levuka for Suva or migrated overseas altogether. The reason being is that there is not enough business.”
The recession also impacted government services on the island, with a number of activities now limited in number and scope. She said this included the medical sector – which only offered basic services on the island – as more serious cases were often transferred to the mainland.
