Labasa Students Cross Rusted Steel Beam to Reach School

Since the school year started on January 28, 12 students from Lomaloma Settlement in Labasa have been deprived of proper road access and a safe crossing.

Each day, they walk along a gravel road and use a rusted steel beam, holding onto a rod that was originally used to hang clothes, as support, to cross a stream.

Leaving their homes at 6.30am daily, they navigate the dangerous crossing because the bridge had collapsed.

This is their routine every morning before reaching the road to catch the bus to Bocalevu Muslim Primary School, Tabucola Valibaar Primary School, Sangam Primary School and Labasa Muslim College.

Iliesa Vosavakadua always takes the lead and the first to return home after school making sure his sisters, Marica Kulia and Suliana Talei, are safely in tow.

Behind them are their neighbours Jack Bolatoga and Joji Ravala.

“I always worry about my sisters’ safety first as they are younger than me,” Iliesa, a Year Seven student of Bocalevu Muslim Primary School said.

“Sometimes when it rains heavily, our parents don’t send us to school because it’s dangerous to cross the slippery steel beam.”

Jack, a Year Eight student of Bocalevu Muslim Primary School said the crossing got damaged a day before school started when there was heavy rainfall.

“My parents are not that rich to be in a position to leave the settlement and rent in Labasa Town so that it could be easy to go to school,” Jack said.

“I see my parents struggling to carry groceries behind their backs and heads to cross this dangerous crossing.”

One of the oldest residents, Dalip Chand, 65, claims that in the past few weeks, he had visited the Macuata District Office, Macuata Advisory Councillor, Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), Commissioner Northern’s Office and even called the Minister for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh.

“No one is willing to provide immediate help,” Mr Chand said.

“This crossing, which is part of a sugarcane access road, was damaged in the similar way last March and after pleading to so many authorities, only a few works was carried out.”

He said when he visited the FRA, they told him it was a sugarcane access road, managed by the Ministry of Sugar.

“When I contacted the Minister for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh, he said the grant for sugarcane access road would be released in May just before the crushing season began and then something could be done,” Mr Chand said.

“There are eight households and it’s not only the sugarcane farmers who are suffering, we should also think about the children.”

He said the crossing was initially damaged in 2022 and over the years gradually the culvert washed away including the sides of the road.

“There is a mother who is pregnant and expected to deliver her baby this month. Imagine how she will manage to cross this stream,” he said.

Macuata Advisory Councillor chairperson Jitendra Kumar confirmed that he has received this report from Mr Chand and informed the Labasa District Officer, Commissioner Northern and FRA.

“We are trying to see what the best solution can be to address this issue,” Mr Kumar said.

When contacted, an FRA Labasa official confirmed that it was a cane access road and did not fall under the organisation’s jurisdiction.

Minister explains

Mr Singh, when contacted yesterday, confirmed that he spoke with Mr Chand earlier this week, explaining that the grant is released based on the need and sugar production.

“We give grant for the maintenance of sugarcane access road only before the crushing season begins and not everyone gets it,” Mr Singh said.

He explained that grant disbursement depends on the number of farmers and sugarcane production in the area.

He encouraged the people to take the initiative and fix the road and crossing themselves.

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