Some communities in Vanua Levu get internet connectivity and Walesi for the first time

Lutukina District School, Koroinasolo District School and Qalitu Primary School in Vanua Levu are now on the national internet network while some unconnected residents want to know when they will have these much-needed services in their area.

These three schools, and the students, teachers and community members they serve are all online for the first time.

The Fijian Government delegation heard stories from teachers of the great lengths they have gone to access the internet and data, from trekking mountains to climbing onto rooftops.

While commissioning the Northern connectivity site at Qalitu Primary School in Savusavu, Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted the duty of the Government to put all Fijians on a level playing field, and he says the students in the rural areas of Fiji deserve the same access to internet connectivity as those in Labasa or Suva.

Sayed-Khaiyum says over 40 sites in Vanua Levu now have access to the internet; they include schools, health clinics, police posts, and a variety of other places.

He says in some schools where there is no internet or mobile connectivity, they have set up community WiFi so that villagers can come to the school and use their phones to access the internet.

All three schools also gained access to Walesi’s streaming platform, including the education channel. In 2020, the Minister for Communications had said that the government was making an assessment on how the Universal Service Fund can be utilized to connect the unconnected communities.

Calls are being made by people in parts of the Northern Division to look into their plight as some areas have no phone, mobile phone and internet connectivity.

Some of the residents that raised concerns had said that they have never been connected, they want to know when they will have these much-needed services and whether the Universal Service Fund will be utilized to get them connected.

We had received complaints from some of the residents living along the coastline from Seaqaqa to Bua.

They have told us that there is hardly any phone, mobile or internet connectivity in areas like Naqumu Village in Seaqaqa, parts of Naduri, Raviravi in Macuata, Nukubati, Naividamu village, Niurua, parts of Nabouwalu, Wairiki, Navakasiga, Lekutu, Dreketi and other areas.

We have also been informed that it has been really hard for these residents as they have to go to certain places from their villages and settlements to get mobile reception.

Some people have told us that if there is an accident along the Highway on the coastlines, sometimes no one is aware, or it will take time for people and even authorities to find out about it.

We have asked the Ministry of Communications for full details on the areas that are now connected after confirmation that over 40 sites in Vanua Levu are connected, and the plans to connect the other unconnected areas.