Fix the roads for the sugar trucks please!

from w,
Relatives told me that they are ready to start cane-cutting in Labasa, but now I read that because the roads are so bad, farmers can't get their can to the Labasa mill.
Hey guys, fix those roads quickly instead of all these talk-fests in Suva. The ordinary people need the potholes fixed urgently!

from tonight's news:
Rain hampers supply at Labasa MillTuesday, June 24, 2008

The Labasa Mill did not begin crushing today as scheduled. This was due to a dismal cane supply as a result of the wet weather. National Farmers Union executive officer Rosan Lal says poor cane supply is largely due to the fact that it rained heavily yesterday afternoon further deteriorating road conditions.

Most of the cane harvested yesterday has not been transported to the mills.

“Yes we are still witnessing very poor road conditions especially in Seaqaqa areas where a majority of the farmers have not started harvesting their cane due to the fact that they know they won’t be able to take out the cane in that kind of road so they are still waiting for the government departments to address the situation and there’s a dire need for the authorities to go out and look at the road conditions themselves so that they can assess the situation. While we have been having meetings this has been to no avail and we are hoping that these people can come on board and see what has been happening on the grounds so that problems related to the start of the crush are avoided."

Lal adds the season does not promise much hope for farmers –if basic infrastructure like roads is not improved.