Opposition MP Jone Usamate says the ongoing disruption of Rural Service Licence (RSL) transport services in Seaqaqa highlights what he describes as the Government's failure to address the rising cost of living and challenges facing rural communities.
This is after fijivillage News raised that 60 students remain affected after a RSL operator failed to turn up for a second consecutive day to pick up students travelling to Vunimanuca Primary School, Seaqaqa Muslim Primary School and Seaqaqa Central College.
Students are now forced to travel by bus with fares costing $2.60 one way.
In a statement, Usamate says for a rural household with multiple children, this creates an unmanageable penalty that forces a heartbreaking choice between buying basic groceries or sending their children to school.
He says the government walked into office on grand promises to slash the cost of living for the people.
Usamate says instead, the daily cost of basic survival for an ordinary family in Fiji has more than doubled since 2022.
He says we are seeing the real, devastating consequences of this economic failure right now in the rural communities, where our children are the ones paying the heaviest price.
The Opposition MP further says classroom attendance in Fiji is now dictated by transport economics under a crushing financial climate this government created.
He says the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Education have abandoned rural transport to the private sector, treating it as an optional venture rather than essential infrastructure like water or electricity.
Usamate says the rural communities are being forced to pay the price for total administrative neglect while the quietness from the responsible ministries is a clear admission that they have no answers.
He adds that on top of these route closures, they have recently received reports that students with yellow eTransport cards are being forced by certain drivers to double tap for certain runs.
He says this is the reality on the ground under this administration, complete chaos where parents are unfairly overcharged on active routes while services vanish entirely on others.
Usamate says the government need to sit down face to face with these rural service operators immediately, look at the operational realities on the ground, and find a sustainable solution to keep these vehicles moving.
We have sent our questions to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Children.
They are yet to respond.
