Urban drift and overseas jobs fuel youth exodus from Kadavu

Kadavu is struggling to retain its young people as better education, employment and overseas work opportunities continue to draw them away from the province, its provincial council chairman says.

Kadavu Provincial Council chairman Isikeli Vuniwaqa said the province was working to create more employment opportunities through agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism to encourage young people to remain on the island or eventually return home.

He said the challenge was not unique to Kadavu but was being experienced across Fiji.

"The capability for the youths to stay in the village is quickly diminishing because there are more lucrative offers in the urban sectors," Mr Vuniwaqa said.

He said employment opportunities in Australia and New Zealand under labour mobility schemes had further reduced the number of young people remaining in villages.

"So, it is really difficult for the province to keep our youths," he said.

Mr Vuniwaqa said the Kadavu Provincial Council was focusing on developing the province's key industries, including agriculture, fisheries, forestry and other natural resources, to generate more jobs and encourage people to return.

"We can capture some of the economic opportunities that can also lure our people back to the islands," Mr Vuniwaqa said.

He said tourism was another sector the province hoped to revive.

Mr Vuniwaqa said Kadavu's population of between 10,000 and 14,000 meant the island could not support everyone through traditional village livelihoods alone.

"The landmass in Kadavu cannot take everybody to be on the island," he said.

Mr Vuniwaqa also welcomed Government plans to re-establish a mortuary in Kadavu.

"I think there have been plans by government to re-establish the mortuary," he said.

The proposal was raised during presentations by government agencies at the Kadavu Provincial Council meeting.

The council concluded discussions on a range of development priorities aimed at improving services and creating stronger economic opportunities for communities across the province.