NFP claims railway network neglected
GOVERNMENT and the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) have neglected the cane railway system over the years and this has contributed to the downturn of the sugar industry, claims National Federation Party leader Prof Biman Prasad.
“The thorough neglect of our cane railway transport system by this Government and the FSC for the past 14 years is a major contributor towards the decline of Fiji’s sugar industry,” he said.
Prof Prasad said the Indian government had expressed intentions to upgrade the existing rail network but Government and the FSC had not provided any updates since the visit of Indian railway experts in 2018.
“We have not heard any updates from the Government about its progress and when the project was most likely to begin.”
He said for the past 14 years, Government and the FSC had supported other means of cane transportation to mills instead of working to improve the existing rail system.
“They have encouraged other means such as tractors and trucks which has probably cost farmers more than it would have cost if our railway system was efficient.”
Prof Prasad claimed at present, the whole railway network system was in “a bad state”.
“The Government should go back and look at the Landell Mills report of 1991 which underscores the importance of the rail system for the efficient delivery of cane to the mills and keeping the cost of transportation in check.” In response, FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark said he would not respond to third party comments while questions sent to the Ministry of Sugar Industry remain unanswered.