Lorry and tractor drivers in Korotari, Labasa are expressing serious concerns about their safety due to the poor condition of the roads they have to navigate daily.
Vishwa Chand, a sugarcane farmer and lorry driver in the region, emphasized the urgency of addressing the hazardous road conditions to prevent fatal accidents. “There are rocks on the road surface that can damage the tires or our lorry,” he noted.
Chand explained that after rainfall, runoff water from nearby drains exacerbates the issue, washing away portions of the road and exposing dangerous rocks. “We plead with the government to grade the road to suppress the rocks,” he said.
Biman Prasad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, announced in his recent budget presentation that the government is prioritizing the improvement of road infrastructure to help farmers transport their goods to the market.
Chand pointed out that the road conditions in Korotari are so dire that he frequently has to balance his lorry to prevent overloading. Although the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) has performed grading works in the past, the problems persist. According to Chand, these road issues significantly hinder sugarcane farmers from harvesting and transporting a good amount of cane.
“We want to transport more cane, but the dangerous roads make drivers and farmers think twice,” he said. He also mentioned that previous requests to the Minister for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh, earlier this year have gone unanswered.
The primary cause of the poor road conditions is inadequate drainage, with water runoff washing away the soil. Chand believes that certain sections of the road need to be developed with proper drainage systems. “Some parts of the road lack drains, which affects the road, so we need proper drains,” he stressed.
Additionally, the Vunimoli bridge, which connects the road to Korotari, is in a deteriorated state and requires urgent repairs.
Proposing a solution, the 60-year-old farmer suggested that the government and the FRA could tar seal three kilometers of road per year in Korotari. “This should be continued for at least three to four years, and the entire road problem will be addressed,” he said.
Chand added that vehicle maintenance costs are high because the road resembles rugged terrain that must be crossed daily. “Don’t wait for someone to die before any work on the road is done,” he urged the government.
Pradeep Lal, another resident and daily commuter, echoed these concerns, highlighting that despite Korotari’s significance as a major source of raw materials for roadworks, the area still suffers from poor roads. “Korotari is the mother of all roads in Vanua Levu because our road leads to the spot where gravel and stones are sourced for roadworks elsewhere in the division,” he claimed.
Korotari is one of many areas in the North where vegetable farmers supply the highest quantity to the Labasa municipal market.