Stakeholders in the North are increasingly calling for urgent upgrades to Labasa Airport’s runway, citing its critical role in supporting economic growth and ensuring public safety.
Vishal Narayan, a member of the Labasa Chamber of Commerce, highlighted ongoing concerns from the business community regarding the condition of the runway during the Fijian Media Association’s Meet the Public and the Press session held in Labasa.
He says the runway is a recurring topic of concern at every meeting they hold.
Narayan says that this is a major concern that no one is really talking about, but it directly affects those who rely on the airport for travel.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, acknowledged the concern and assured the public that infrastructure development is ongoing.
He says that they are fixing the terminal and that there have also been improvements to the runway itself.
Professor Prasad says the government has signed a $400 million World Bank-funded tourism development project for Vanua Levu, and part of that 10-year programme includes the upgrade of Savusavu Airport and other supporting infrastructure.
He adds that once the terminal is complete, people will see further developments take place.
