After more than 50 years of being without electricity and water, about 19 families of Yalava, Tabia in Labasa have been reassured that they will get the services this year.
A resident says he has been requesting for the services since he moved to the settlement 50 years ago but they still do not have anything.
While speaking to fijivillage News, Daya Prasad Ganpat says he had raised the issue with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Minister for Sugar Industry Charan Jeath Singh and National Federation Party President Parmod Chand while they were campaigning before the general elections in 2022 and they had promised that when they come into government, they will provide water and electricity to the settlement.
He says the last electricity pole is less than 200 metres from the settlement and it should not be difficult or too expensive for the government to connect the line.
The resident says they are unable to dig a bore hole because they do not have electricity and have to rely on well water.
He says the Water Authority had inspected the area multiple times and had even dug a borehole last year but they do not have any water.
Ganpat is demanding the government to dig the borehole at the right place and connect the more than 100 people of the community to the nearest electricity pole.
While responding to questions by fijivillage News, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Prof. Biman Prasad says this is part of the plan and it will be done this year.
The NFP leader says years of neglect is now showing and the Coalition Government is working hard to catch up on many such projects in the country.
