A newly commissioned access road at Caurokodrika in Dogotuki, Macuata will directly benefit about 180 residents across roughly 30 households, Rural and Maritime Development Minister Mosese Bulitavu announced on Wednesday. The road serves a mixed community of both iTaukei and Fijians of Indian descent and is intended to ease long-running transport difficulties for people living in the remote settlement.
Mr Bulitavu said the upgrade will have an immediate impact on local farmers, particularly young men cultivating yaqona in the surrounding hills. “The access road will benefit farmers, especially young men who plant yaqona in the hills, allowing them to transport produce to markets more efficiently,” he said, underlining that better transport links can cut costs and time for growers moving produce off the land.
Beyond commercial agriculture, the minister highlighted gains for everyday travel and essential services. The road will improve access for schoolchildren and provide a better linkage to the main road network “through various transport options,” he said, adding that improved infrastructure is central to strengthening rural livelihoods and local economies. Mr Bulitavu also noted the upgrade should reduce travel time, enhance safety on the route and make it easier for residents to reach health and education services.
Residents in Dogotuki and other remote settlements have frequently raised poor road conditions as a barrier to economic opportunity and service access. The new access road at Caurokodrika is one of several local projects the government has pointed to in recent months as part of its broader push to improve connectivity in rural areas, reinforce local markets and support community resilience. For many yaqona growers, reliable access to markets can determine whether a season’s harvest turns into cash income or is left on the hills.
The project underscores a focus on inclusive benefits: Mr Bulitavu stressed the road will serve families across ethnic lines and multiple households in the settlement. While the minister framed the upgrade primarily in terms of economic and social gains, he also emphasised safety improvements that come with sealed or better-maintained access routes for school runs, emergency travel and routine health visits.
No further technical or funding details were released with the commissioning, and Mr Bulitavu’s office did not specify whether additional upgrades in surrounding areas are planned. Still, local leaders and farmers are expected to monitor how quickly transport times and market access improve now that the access road is complete, measuring the road’s effect on incomes, school attendance and service access in the months ahead.
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