SUVA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama asked Fijians not worry about the island nation's economy on Wednesday, saying that the western part of Fiji has created much development for the overall health of Fiji's economy.
Addressing at the opening of the Ba Provincial Council meeting on the eve of national announcement of the 2018/2019 budget, Bainimarama said the Western Division's developments were mainly championed through tourism and sugar.
Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of the 14 provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of the eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous province, with a population of 247,708 - more than a quarter of the nation's total.
Bainimarama said that in the past four years alone developments in the western part of the nation that helped grow the economy included the newly refurbished Nadi International Airport terminal, the gateway to Fiji, the Namaka to Denarau highway and the soon to be established Ba hospital through a public-private partnership that will also transform the Lautoka hospital and provide a new range of medical services to Fijians.
The Fijian government was bringing new development opportunities to Fijian land owners by funding infrastructure works in various subdivisions, he said, adding that with 11 approved national projects so far, nine are in the west, and seven of those are in Ba Province alone.
According to Bainimarama, they had made better roads, bridges, street lighting and footpaths, more access to electricity and water plus all the social programs that are benefitting the people of the Western Division and the entire nation.
