No matter what happened during the indentured labour system, we still regard Fiji the best country in the world to live, elderly couple from Boubale, Labasa said.

Ram Prit Sharma, 95, and Chandra Wati, 86, said they had been to America, New Zealand and Canada to visit their children but preferred to return home.

Both their grandparents came from India to work in the sugarcane fields in Labasa.

The second eldest of six siblings said her father, George Latchman originally from Navua came to settle down in Labasa Town to operate his photography business.

“My father was the first photographer in Labasa and I was fortunate enough to get educated until Year Eight at St Mary’s Primary School,” Ms Wati said.

“After that, my father married me off to Ram since he worked as a tailor right beside our house.”

Mr Sharma, originally from Dreketilailai, Labasa, said he walked daily for at least two hours from his house to his workplace from Monday to Friday.

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Story by: Shratika Naidu – shratikan@fijisun.com.fj