Market vendors and businesses in Rakiraki were given immediate assistance yesterday by the Minister for Local Government, Environment, Housing, Infrastructure and Transport Parveen Bala.

Market vendors will not have to pay for their stall fees for a month while all businesses in Rakiraki Town will be given six months to pay up their annual business licences.

He said this would be reviewed after the time allocated for both bodies.

Mr Bala was in Rakiraki yesterday to check on the damage caused by the floods on Monday and check on the clean up being conducted.

He visited all businesses in the town, checking on damages caused.
“We will assist our market vendors in terms of waiving their stall fees for a month,” Mr Bala said.
“Also to the carrier and taxi based operators will not be charged any fees for the use of the base for a month.
“For the business community, normally they have to pay their business license at the end of January but we will extend that for a six month period that will give them time to pay the business licences.”
Mr Bala said Rakiraki had suffered the most out of all municipalities. He was told by the people of Rakiraki that this was the first time that they had witnessed such flooding and some of them were shocked and surprised to see the level of water in the main town.

“I would like to thank all of those who were involved in the cleaning the town and the National Fire Authority as with their assistance we have managed to clean about 60 per cent of the town,” Mr Bala said.

“The NFA will be again be in Rakiraki today (yesterday) and tomorrow (today) to make sure that it is cleaned as we want to see that the market and the shops to start running by Friday.”

Mr Bala said he held talks with the market vendors and they had asked for the assistance and Government responded by waiving the fees for a month. Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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