Authorities Blamed for Flooding

The Sigatoka business com­munity has accused the Ministry of Waterways and the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) of negligence, blaming them for flash floods that disrupted the town on Wednesday.

Nadroga Navosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Suresh Naidu, spoke on behalf of affected businesses and residents. He criticised poor drainage and blocked waterways as the main causes of the flooding.

"We are deeply concerned about the devastating floods that have af­fected our nation," Mr Naidu said.

"The business community bears the brunt of this negligence. Our supply chains are disrupted, prop­erties damaged, and customers frightened away.

"This is not just an inconvenience; it threatens the foundation of our economy."

Mr Naidu accused the Ministry of Waterways and the FRA of failing to fulfil their responsibilities.

"For years, we have seen a pattern of neglect and inaction," he said.

"Dredging projects are delayed, crucial infrastructure maintenance overlooked, and flood mitigation plans left untouched.

"This is not an act of God; it is a consequence of human error."

He argued that the Ministry of Wa­terways had failed to manage wa­terways effectively, while the FRA's lack of road maintenance worsened the impact of flooding.

"We demand accountability. The Ministry of Waterways and the Fiji Roads Authority must be held responsible for their failures," he said.

"We demand they be stripped of their budgets until they prove their commitment to effective flood mitigation and infrastructure mainte­nance."

Mr Naidu emphasised that con­tinued inaction would threaten the safety and prosperity of the nation. "We cannot allow this to continue," he said.

Feedback: mereleki.nai@fijisun.com.fj