PM rejects claims of provincial favouritism

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has rejected claims that Cakaudrove receives preferential treatment because it is his home province, saying the poor state of the province's rural roads shows it faces the same challenges as the rest of the country.

Mr Rabuka made the remarks during the launch of the Blue Economy and Green Community Development Programme (Be-Green) agricultural project at Koronatoga Village in Cakaudrove yesterday.

He said critics had accused him of favouring Cakaudrove in road development because he is from Drekeniwai Village.

Mr Rabuka said the claims were unfounded, noting that deteriorating road infrastructure in many rural farming communities in the province continued to affect farmers' access to markets.

'We survived the same gravel road'

Reflecting on his own experience, Mr Rabuka said his family had lived with poor road conditions for decades.

"Me and my father have survived on the same gravel road from 1950s and until now my family survives despite the struggles."

He said many rural gravel roads built in the 1950s remained in poor condition, but communities had persevered despite the challenges.

Mr Rabuka said deteriorating rural roads were a nationwide issue that would require sustained investment over many years.

"So many people in other parts of Fiji are complaining about their poor unsealed road problems, my province is also part of it, there is no exception to services."

He said the Government would continue repairing and upgrading road networks each year as funding allowed.

Minister for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna acknowledged that access to markets remained a challenge for farmers in Vanua Levu.

Mr Tunabuna said development projects would continue to be rolled out in phases, based on available funding and national development priorities.