Simione Tuvuki 
Village Headman, Aliki Draunimasi.
Thirty families of Nasuva Village in Seaqaqa are pleading to the government for the provision of a new bridge to connect them to the main road network in the area.
Village Headman, Aliki Draunimasi says they encounter a lot of challenges by the lack of a proper crossing in the village, which poses risks to the villagers.
Draunimasi says it affects both children and adults in their day-to-day activities.
“We would have to swim across the river to get to the main road network. So, those who are sick and expectant mothers who are in labour would have to cross the river to be taken to the nearest health facility. Our children would have to cross the river too to get to school.”
Draunimasi hopes that their plight will be heard by the government of the day.
In a recent visit to Nasuva Village, Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development, Jovesa Vocea assured the villagers that their bridge would be repaired by the People’s Coalition Government.
“This is a new government … the Public Works Department has been revived. Even if you did not inform us, we are aware that your bridge needs to be fixed. This is the first thing that I had asked about when we were informed of our visit to Nasuva Village.”
Vocea says they are aware of the plight and will act on it during their four-year term in office.
The Assistant Minister says this is part of their immediate development plan.
The FijiFirst Government funded $100,000 for the construction of the bridge in 2015, it was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 and has been in a deteriorated state ever since.
