Government does not not have a magic wand but they do have a sense of responsibility to fix the roads – Usamate

Minister for Infrastructure, Jone Usamate says the government does not have a magic wand but they do have a sense of responsibility to fix the roads that were damaged during the two cyclones when he was asked by SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula on where will the government get the money for road reconstruction.

Usamate says they are a sensible government and they will be responsible.

The Minister highlighted that the restoration works according to the estimates by the Fiji Roads Authority in the aftermath of the two cyclones is that repair works on 98% of the roads in the Central Division, 75% in Western and Northern Division and 85% in the Eastern Division have been completed.

He says FRA is yet to complete 20% of the survey works in the interior of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu because of continuous rain.

Usamate adds that there is also a constant problem of reinstated crossings being washed away because of flooding which he has noticed in Vanua Levu and there are also 25 non-problematic low level crossings which have been included in FRA’s plans for replacement with new resilient crossings similar to those in Nausori and Ra.

Meanwhile, SODELPA MP, Salote Radrodro also raised concerns on the safety of passengers travelling along Naduri Crossing from Labasa to Natovi.

Usamate says the road going to Korovou to Naduri and Tabia is open now however there are some limitations on that road where there is a crossing that has a limit of 10 tonnes and FRA is working on making the road as serviceable as possible.