Market vendor Luisa Reece has expressed her appreciation for the new Nakasi Market, highlighting it as a significant improvement for vendors aiming to sell their goods.
“We are truly thankful that the government listened to our request to build a market,” said Ms. Reece. She noted the previous challenges vendors faced, often having to work in unfavorable weather conditions. “Vendors used to sit out in the rain and sun; it was difficult for everyone to make ends meet,” she explained.
Now, with all vendors under one roof, she believes the situation has substantially improved. “In the past, many customers would just drive by, making it hard for us to serve them,” she remarked. “But inside the new market, we can sit back and relax while we await customers.”
The new market’s location provides better convenience for both vendors and consumers. “Customers can park their vehicles and stroll around to purchase vegetables and root crops,” she added. She contrasted this with their previous location by the main road, where vendors felt rushed, preventing customers from thoroughly examining their products.
Ms. Reece recalled how town council officials used to chase vendors away from the old temporary sheds along the main road. “The new Nakasi market brings significant improvements for us,” she said. Originally from Nayavutoka village in Ra, she mentioned the market’s accessibility compared to Rakiraki Town, as it is closer to Korovou Town and Suva.
“For us, it’s easier to reach Suva in one bus ride, while traveling to Rakiraki requires two buses,” she noted. If she has unsold produce at the end of the day, she is able to leave it with fellow vendors to sell on her behalf.
Moreover, she appreciates that the new market offers a secure space to store their goods. “There’s no hectic movement of products in and out every day. I sell lemons, pawpaws, pumpkin, and cassava that we bring from the village,” she shared, mentioning that she usually collaborates with her daughter to sell their produce. Ms. Reece is also related to All Blacks rugby union winger Sevu Reece, as she is a cousin of Sevu’s father.