The sweet sugar city
LAUTOKA is the second largest city in Fiji, located on the Western side of Viti Levu, which is around 24 kilometres north of Nadi Town. Lautoka is also another port of entry after Suva.
It is situated in the middle of Fiji, and known as the Sugar City.
Local folklore says the city was named after a battle cry which means "spear hit."
According to the Lautoka City Council website, the legend was that a disagreement broke out between two chiefs where one said lau toka.
He defeated his opponent by killing him and the outcry was to signify what had happened.
The council also shed light on the first known European sighting in May of 1789. Captain William Bligh was said to have sighted Lautoka when he was on a voyage to Timor in the East Indies after the mutiny on the Bounty. Over the years, Lautoka has developed in many areas, especially in the sugar industry.
Lautoka Sugar Mill was founded more than 100 years ago in 1903 and by far, employs the largest number of people in the city.
It was first built for the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) in Fiji by employees from the Solomon Islands and India. It now employs as many as 1,300 employees.
There are now other industries such as garment manufacturing, distillery, jewellery, steelworks, hatchery, fishing, timber milling, paints, domestic items, and construction.
In line with this, more than 11 years ago, Lautoka was declared as the administrative capital in the Western Division. Lautoka is also a hub of investments. The Lautoka City Council said local and overseas companies have developed a presence in the area.
The council says some of these establishments include Apex Offshore, Marine Mining, Pacific Cables, Biscuits factory and Punjas Flour.
Recently, Sports Tourism has also stamped its mark on our shores in the western division.
Tourism Fiji chief executive officer Brent Hill said last year was extraordinary with a lot of work being put into strengthening Fiji's reputation of becoming a premier global travel destination.
While speaking to this newspaper,he commended the industry's impact on Fiji.
"The Sports Tourism Study highlights the positive impact of events like the Drua on Fiji's tourism landscape, bringing in $67m to Fiji's economy," he said.
"With the return of the World Surf League Championship Tour in August 2024 and the Melbourne Storm's national rugby league match in February 2024, Fiji's status as a top-tier sports destination receives a significant boost, reinforcing its appeal to the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka also acknowledged the work done by the Port of Lautoka during a recent site visit last month.
He thanked the employees for their work as it has been a significant contributor of growth during the pandemic period.