Peceli Naviticoko 
The remote island of Cikobia has been without phone connectivity for two months, prompting villagers to call for urgent action.
The outage has severely disrupted daily life across the island’s four villages.
Resident Paitia Cagituevei says communication with mainland Vanua Levu is essential for reaching family and basic services, but the community is now completely cut off.
“All four villages on this island rely on landline phones to stay connected, especially with mainland Vanua Levu. But for the past few months, we have been completely cut off from phone communication.”
He adds that the situation is particularly concerning as sea travel is the island’s only link to the mainland.
“Anything can happen when people are crossing at sea. We remember the 1995 sea tragedy, where there was no communication. That’s why it is important for us to stay connected. If something happens at sea, we need to be able to seek assistance from the mainland.”
Villagers are now urging authorities to prioritize a mobile network tower—a critical infrastructure need that would also benefit nearby Naqelevu Island.
For Cikobia residents, connectivity is more than a convenience; it is a lifeline.
