The Ports Authority of Fiji has prohibited women food vendors from operating at Suva Wharf, according to a report from August 3, 1982. The previous day, around 20 women arrived in groups at the wharf only to discover that their wooden stalls had been removed.
The report indicated that approximately 25 women had been selling food, including “lolo” fish, beef curries, boiled root crops, and tea, at the entrance of the wharf. Despite the removal of their stalls, the vendors gathered in front of the entrance next to Princes Wharf and resumed their selling activities.
These women had been engaged in the food trade at the wharf for several years. While many workers at the wharf used a canteen, the vendors drew customers from the local community. They typically began selling their cooked meals and hot tea early in the morning and continued until late at night, using benzine lamps for light.
Though Ports Authority officials were unavailable for comment, it was rumored that they were preparing for a $7.8 million expansion project at Kings Wharf. Wharf personnel noted that the vendors sometimes left a significant mess, which required early morning clean-up by PAF employees using a fire hose. Leftover bones and waste were common sights, with one employee describing the area as “most unhygienic.”
He also mentioned that while cooking on-site was not allowed, some women ignored this rule. One vendor, busy serving her food, revealed they had been given a month’s notice to vacate the area, but many would continue selling alongside Princes Wharf.
The report also mentioned that a bystander stated the late Deputy Prime Minister Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau had met with vendor representatives the day before.