SEUTA Suka is 71 years old, but his strength, dedication and committment towards his work is beyond comparison.
Born in Yadrana, Lakeba in Lau, Mr Suka is one of the oldest market vendor in Suva today.
He had spent a total of 30 years at the Suva Municipal market before later operating his own restaurant business at the Yatu Lau Arcade in Suva.
Managing a booth at the market and a restaurant has its challengers and Mr Suka has been able to keep both afloat for years.
While reminiscing his good old days at the market, Mr Suka said, he had only wished the price of goods were similar to when they had pounds, during the colonial period.
“Then, you have really fresh root crops, fruits, vegetables and food at very low prices,” Mr Suka explained.
And for a man who had literally lived in the market all his life, customer satisfaction is what he looks forward to every day.
At the moment Mr Suka sells food parcels consisting of fried egg plant with canned fish and cassava, cooked lumi, vakalolo and sometimes fried fish with cassava.
While many would consider a slow-pace life at his age, Mr Suka has no intentions to do the same.
From his business at the market and restaurant, he now owns two houses a car and a fibreglass boat.
He does not consider his age to be a barrier, but rather challenged young people that in this life anything was possible.
He had been selling at the market from the early 70s when the first market was constructed.
During that year, he was also the president of the market vendors association.
He now lives with his wife six children and three grandchildren.