The new proposed Labasa market at Naiyaca Subdivision will provide vendors a safe and spacious place to operate from.

It will also address the problems witnessed at the current market.

This was revealed by the Minister for Local Government, Premila Kumar, who said the expansion and safety of vendors were the contributing factor towards the shift in location.

The current market is located beside the Labasa Bus Stand while the new market would be located a few minutes from Town in front of the New World supermarket.

Ms Kumar said they had already secured a land for the new market.

She said the vendors were increasing on a daily basis and they were not able to accommodate all of them.

“It has come to a stage where the vendors are actually occupying one-quarter of the road where buses and vehicles are moving and this was not a safe practice for our vendors,” she said.

Ms Kumar said they were working towards finalising the concept plan and engineering drawing before the announcement of the next budget in July.

“By the time the budget is announced, we will have a clear understanding of how much money will be allocated for this project by the Government which will enable us to start off with the construction phase,” she said.

Ms Kumar said they hoped to build a new seafood market.

“This will generate increased economic activity for seafood vendors in Labasa with the new attractive changes,” she said.

Ms Kumar said the new Labasa market would be rural-based where livestock would be readily available.

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