Farmer, Mun Sami, could not hide his happiness yesterday when the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Parveen Kumar responded to emergency calls made to him by the residents of Lakalaka Settlement in Tavua.

This is after the recent flash flooding in Tavua badly damaged the crossing which linked their settlement to the Tavua Town and health centre.

The 59-year-old who owns a farm in Lakalaka Road, Tavua, said they could not send their produce to the market.

“So many times this crossing has always been flooded during rainy seasons; it has been damaged and the big lorries cannot cross this bridge,” Mr Sami said.

“During this weather the children here cannot go to school. It takes at least three quarters of an hour to reach the Tavua Health Centre when we walk using the tramline to the hospital or if we want to go to Tavua Town.”

Mr Kumar has directed the Fiji Roads Authority to start work today on the three Irish crossings, one in Lakalaka Settlement and the other two places where the damage happened.

“I have directed FRA and with the assistance of Higgins who are contractors to see how fast we can repair this Irish crossings. People must understand that these Irish crossings are very old,” he said.

His main concern is the school children, who were not going to school because of the damage to the crossings. He said: “I am very disappointed with the drainage on this Lakalaka Road. If we had proper drainage there would be no flooding. The big lorries can go into this place but for other small vehicles it is very difficult.”

He  plans to make another trip to Tavua and Rakiraki on Wednesday and Thursday.