Mother calls on Govt to prioritize safety, crime, unemployment and road crisis in the next national budget

A mother is calling on the government to prioritise safety, crime, unemployment and road crisis, which people have been suffering from in the upcoming national budget.

Justine Maravu, a resident of Wainibuku in Nakasi, says their road was upgraded two days before the 2022 elections, and they have never seen any other upgrades until today.

She says she feared the safety of her children when travelling through this road because the potholes are like lovo pits, and their crossing has never been upgraded, which tends to flood when there is heavy rain.

Maravu also expressed concerns over the crimes that have been occurring in the Nakasi and Wainibuku area, including drugs, indiscipline of children and racial remarks of youths.

She is suggesting that the government should come up with programs to assist this youth out of unemployment.

The concerned mother is also raising the need for more corporate responsibilities from companies that are around the Nakasi/Wainibuku area to develop the area further.

Responding to the concerns raised, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says the Police are looking at the issues of crime in the Nakasi and Wainibuku area, and there is a new Police Commissioner and Minister for Policing.

He says drug abuse is a serious problem that they have inherited as a government, and this is why they launched the Narcotics Bureau last year.

Speaking on the road issues, Professor Prasad says they are not making a demarcation anymore about FRA and non-FRA roads, which will allow them to fix the roads as quickly as possible.

He says the FRA team has been fixing roads in Suva, Nausori and Navua areas.

The budget consultation will continue tonight from 6 to 8 at Korovuto College in Nadi.

Tomorrow, the team will be at the Girmit Centre in Lautoka from 6pm to 8pm, they will then travel to the north on Friday and will be at Yaroi Village Hall in Savusavu from 9am to 12.30pm and from 4pm to 6.30pm, the team will be at Dreketi Central College Hall in Dreketi.

On Saturday, the budget consultation team will be at the Seaqaqa Sanatan Hall in Seaqaqa from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.