The Nadi Chamber of Com­merce and Industry yester­day heard that there was still no word of the jetset town becom­ing a city.

Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Dr Ram Raju said he had spoken with the Min­ister for Local Government, Hous­ing and Community Development, Premila Kumar and he was told she would have to re-look at the issue before making any further state­ment.

Nadi was to have been declared a city in 2017 but this was held off.

Dr Raju said they would await the Minister’s statement on the matter.

OHS issues

Meanwhile, he has also called for the closure of the new Namaka Market which he said had a lot of major Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues.

“I was called to the market by some market vendors and saw for myself the issues that were there,” he said without elaborating on what they were.

“The market should be closed and vendors be shifted back to the old market until all the issues had been rectified.

“I have already notified Mrs Ku­mar and she has told me that she would direct the Nadi Town Coun­cil to rectify the problems.”

Farmboy managing director Kam­lesh Prasad who has a stall at the market said he had written to the Special Administrator Robin Ali of Nadi Town Council regarding the issues.

“Instead of replying he is alleg­edly moving the vendors from the old market to the new market.

“The new market has taken over the footpath and forcing the pedes­trians to walk on the road.

“A big signage is still there asking people to wear safety gear so how come the building is open.”

Mr Prasad claims vendors were losing out of income because there were no parking spaces and the hu­midity inside was preventing many shoppers from going into the new market.

Mr Prasad said the new market was hot and was not good for ven­dors but there complaints seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Mr Ali could not be reached for a comment last night.

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