from w
I was surprised to read of the enthusiasm and excitement of some people in babasiga land when they know that mobile phones will now work in the coast areas around Labasa. Who wants a mobile phone when you live in lovely babasiga land anyway? Ha ha. Okay, they are handy for communication but in many cases excessive and just to show off I reckon. Sounds like the upgrade covers those places beside the sea such as Vorovoro, Malau kei Vuo. They didn't mention our beach property Nukutatava but I guess that's included. Anyway Peceli was able to use his mobile from there anyway if he walked up the hill a little bit! And of course the tribewanted visitors on Vorovoro Island might be lounging around the beach, their phones up to their ears! No, they have better things to do liking planting vegetables.
I am a philistine about mobiles. I don't own one and don't want one. I don't talk for long on ordinary phones even, but a friend gave us a hands-free phone as a gift which was nice so we can wander throughout the house and still yack away. It plays 'We wish you a merry christmas' to alert us to its presence so we'll have to change that to the song 'Vorovoro, Malau kei Vuo'!
Well here's the story which has some exaggeration surely which I have put into italics - in today's Fiji Times -
Mobile phones for rural LabasaFriday, January 04, 2008
After years of relying on telephone services, the people of rural Labasa now enjoy mobile phone services. Vodafone managing director Aslam Khan said that was possible after the company commissioned its base station at Korovatu in Labasa last week. Mr Khan said the network provided by that base station would cover around 6000 people from Malau to Kia Island. "The coverage extends from Malau jetty to the Kia Island and all the way to Coqeloa and surrounding areas," Mr Khan said. "Along the route lie some very prominent sites and location of Vanua Levu."
He said areas along that side that now enjoyed the service included Vuo, Vunika, Naleba, Raranibulubulu, Mataniwai and Coqeloa. Korovatu is a renowned picnic spot in Labasa. Ram Sewak, the owner of the picnic spot and long time resident said that would really assist him in his business. He said "the mobile communication would help him manage his business better by ensuring instant contact with suppliers and workers".
"Those who flock the beach will also feel safe with their mobiles handy."
The villagers of Vuo were excited on Friday when they realised that they had finally had mobile coverage. For most of them owning mobiles were just for decoration as it would not function when they were in the village.
