Friday, July 02, 2010

Rain fails to stop party for Rakiraki becoming a Town


by MARAGRET WISE

Fiji Times - Friday, July 02, 2010
RAKIRAKI was declared a town yesterday under a light drizzle which failed to dampen the spirits of the hundreds that gathered to witness the historic event.
Head of government Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama urged the residents of the rural outpost to embrace the ideals that made up a township.
He maintained that citizens needed to ensure that town rates were duly met in order for the council to diligently provide services.
Commodore Bainimarama also said Rakiraki residents needed to be vigilant against all crime, especially corruption.
"If you see something illegal going on, report it to the police immediately," he said.
The people of Ra were treated to a spirited performance by the police marching band and entertained by the police jazz band during the day-long event.
Rakiraki had first proposed developing a town near Rakiraki Village in the 1930s. After the Vaileka Centre was established several attempts to declare Rakiraki as a town were shelved. Consultations on registering Rakiraki as a town came about after a directive by Commodore Bainimarama in February this year. The population of urban Rakiraki of of September 2007 was 4952 - higher than the towns of Tavua and Levuka. Cabinet has this week approved regulations that will establish an interim administrator and committee to oversee the governance of the town.

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