IN NORTH TO GET CONNECTED TO GRID: A-G

‘LAGALAGA, NUBU, NAGIGI, AREAS IN NADOGO WILL BE HELPED ONCE STAGE TWO IS COMPLETED’

Residents of Lagalaga in Labasa were told on Saturday night by Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that everyone in the area would have access to electricity next year. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, while giving his keynote address at the Vodafone Lagalaga Farmers Carnival, ,told people that by March 31, 2020, Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) would ensure houses in their community would have electricity.

“You are currently not connected to the EFL Grid. As you know poles are already being put in, I have just got an update from the EFL team. As you know Government is providing electricity to where it can, connecting people to the grid,” Mr

Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“And unlike before communities had to contribute 10 per cent, it went down to five per cent and now we have completely removed it. “In order to complete the whole

Lagalaga Electrification Programme, we need to put in place 338 poles into the ground. “Already 138 poles have been put into the ground. We will be laying about 30,994 metres of electrical cables, of which about 3800 metres of electrical cable have been put in. “Stage One of this programme will be completed by the end of October of this year and Stage Two, the entire Lagalaga electrification programme will be completed by March 31, 2020.” Lagalaga, Nubu, Nagigi, and other areas in Nadogo will be helped once Stage Two is completed.

A-G urges

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum also called on people to respect farmers and for parents and guardians to spend time with their children. “Without farmers we will not have that level of economic export for example sugar. So, we must be able to lift up the professionalism in the farming industry. We must be able to get children who are educated and can contribute to the farming community in Fiji,” he said.

“I urge all the parents over here. If you spend an additional 10 minutes after today with your children with their school work, encourage them to do their work, encourage them to go to high school, encourage them to go to a technical college or university, we are paying for it.”

Photo: DEPTFO News Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum with Lagalaga Primary School officials, guests and the Vodafone Lagalaga Farmers Carnival contestants. Lagalaga Primary School Year Seven student Mere Rauqele (eighth from left), was crowned the Vodafone Lagalaga Farmers queen on August 10, 2019.