Why not Labasa before Bua?

from w
In yesterday's Fiji Village there was an article about Wairiki in Bua (er..what?) being made an international port for Fiji. A port for a huge timber industry with woodchips to be sent to Japan? Hardly a place like Suva with lots of infrastructure. Some sort of favouritism there for a timber company? And what about the idea mooted that Labasa should be an international port - with its sugar and timber industries? And another grouch - why strip Vanua Levu of trees to send as woodchips to Japan. I'm not happy about that one. Who makes the profit - when just the day before there was an article in a Fiji paper about the members of some mataqalis not getting royalties for their timber as the timber grabbers muck up. (edited.)
Wairiki Declared International Port of Entry
Publish date/time: 06/05/2008 [16:42]

The Wairiki Port in Bua has been declared an international port of entry.

The Interim Minister for Primary Industries Joketani Cokanasiga while making submissions to Cabinet today highlighted that the port construction was completed in June with a total cost of $24.9 million.

However, he said installation of the port of entry requirements to enable the port to comply with the recently enforced International Maritime Organization is to be carried out by the port operator. He said upon completion, the port facility will be a major government capital investment in the forest sector to boost economic development in Vanua Levu.

Cokanasiga said the port will facilitate the direct exportation of pine chips from Wairiki to its market overseas, mainly to Japan. He said the current export is about $15 million annually which is now expected to increase to 250,000 tonnes compared to 200,000 once the port is fully operational.