The women’s wing of the Fiji Trades Union Congress has announced it will press ahead with a planned protest march in Suva despite a Suva City Council by-law restricting gatherings at Sukuna Park and a refusal from the Suva District Office to grant permission for the march’s starting point. Organisers said the rally will begin at 9am from Rodwell Road near the bus stand and end with a rally at Sukuna Park.
The council has approved a by-law that allows only religious gatherings at the park, a restriction the women’s wing says will not deter them. The Suva District Office refused permission for the march to set off from Rodwell Road, citing traffic congestion concerns linked to the closure of Edinburgh Drive. Organisers say they will proceed with the protest despite the administrative obstacles.
About 30 people attended the planning meeting, including concerned parents, trade unionists, school principals and teachers. Speakers at the meeting included Timoci Bavadra, president of the Fiji Public Service Association; Krishna Narayan; and Joeli Kalou, secretary-general of the Fiji Teachers Confederation. Ema Druavesi, secretary of the women’s wing, stressed the rally was not political and said its aim was to draw attention to the “pinch of fare increases” affecting ordinary workers and families.
Dr Timoci Bavadra criticised the timing of bus-fare rises, saying increases introduced during a wage freeze reflected poor planning and a lack of organisation by the Government. Krishna Narayan told the meeting that although Cabinet had acknowledged the impact of higher school bus fares and promised relief, five weeks had passed with no action. The lack of a timely response, she said, had deepened public concern.
Education Minister Ahmed Ali told reporters the ministry was working on measures to ease the burden on parents but warned any relief would take time to devise and implement. “The difficulty lies in not only finding solutions, but also in implementing whatever we would devise,” Mr Ali said, estimating it could be another two to three weeks before measures could be put in place.
Organisers and school officials say the fare increases are already affecting attendance. A survey cited by The Fiji Times found absenteeism rates of 25 to 30 percent in some schools. Suva Sangam High School and Cathedral Secondary School reported around 25 percent absenteeism, prompting Suva Sangam to suspend afternoon classes, while Central Fijian School reported about 60 students absent—many from rural areas. Sumeshwar Yadav, principal of Vunimono High School, said a local survey of 100 students showed inconsistent fare hikes among bus companies, ranging from increases of about 33 percent to some operators raising fares by more than 90 percent.