Work begins on seaport Rabi Island, Fiji

[Stacey King]

Fiji Times Online Maneesha Karan Tuesday, December 06, 2011

THE completion of works on a partly constructed jetty on Rabi Island will ease accessibility to the island's products, says the Rabi Council of Leaders chairman Doctor Bauro Vanualailai.

Dr Vanualailai said the jetty, which had been abandoned and partly constructed for over 20 years, would have works re-commence in two weeks time.

"The construction of a jetty was what we were being promised for the past 20 years and that promise has been finally fulfilled," Dr Vanualailai said.

"It is a dream come true for the people of Rabi because the jetty will open Rabi to the rest of the country. "We have a lot of resources on the island and the jetty will make Rabi's products accessible to interested investors and businessmen. "Rabi has a lot of products; virgin coconut oil, copra, fish, handicraft and many other agricultural products for which we were facing difficulties in finding a market, but this problem will be resolved."

He said Banaban producers would no longer have to endure the boat ride from Rabi to Karoko in Tunuloa, then a bus ride to Savusavu.

Dr Vanualailai said machinery and equipment were expected to arrive on the island next week.

"The construction works on the existing jetty is expected to take four to five months and the people of Rabi will be able to take advantage of trading like those people on Taveuni.

"Our Banaban economy is very isolated at the moment and the jetty will be a great achievement for us.