Labasa chamber warns against single-bridge plan

The Labasa Chamber of Commerce and Industries has raised serious concerns over the Fiji Roads Authority’s (FRA) plan to close the only bridge linking Labasa Town to the hospital side for the construction of a new bypass bridge.

While supporting infrastructure development, Chamber president Vinesh Dayal said the proposal had not involved public consultation with residents, businesses, market vendors, transport operators or emergency service providers.

“This bridge is a critical lifeline connecting Labasa Town to Labasa Hospital, the main market, and essential services,” Mr Dayal said.

“Closing it without adequate interim arrangements poses serious risks to emergency response, public safety, and the local economy,” he said.

The Chamber is particularly concerned that relying on a single Bailey bridge for temporary access would create a single point of failure. With construction expected to take several years, Mr Dayal said temporary access must be resilient and suitable for long-term use.

The Chamber has proposed the installation of two Bailey bridges — one on the eastern side and another on the western side — to maintain traffic flow and ensure emergency access.

“Infrastructure development must go hand-in-hand with public consultation. When a bridge connects an entire town to its hospital and economic centre, decisions cannot be made in isolation,” he said.

Mr Dayal also recommended constructing a temporary bridge at Naqai and another link from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) to Long Bay to ensure emergency access if one bridge becomes unusable.

He urged the council to establish an additional bus station at Naiyaca so buses serving either side would not need to cross the bridge.

He further suggested that the Ministry of Health and the National Fire Authority (NFA) set up emergency services at the current town health centre, and that an NFA fire station be established in town to allow faster response times.

Mr Dayal added that roundabouts planned during construction should be completed to help manage congestion and traffic flow.

He stressed that relying on a single temporary bridge could lead to a total breakdown in connectivity, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.

“The FRA must relook at these concerns. Short-term savings from building only one temporary bridge should not come at the expense of long-term economic sustainability, jobs, and lives,” he said.