Mollyn Nakabea 
Families in Levuka and Ovalau will no longer need to travel to Viti Levu to perform cremation rites following the restoration of the Levuka Community Crematorium.
The facility was officially opened after remaining unusable for 10 years, due to sustained damages from Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.
An allocation of $49,500 through the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs’ Community Engagement program was used to rehabilitate and restore the facility.
Multi-Ethnic Affairs Minister Charan Jeath-Singh says restoring the crematorium will ease the burden on grieving families and allow them to carry out final rites locally in accordance with their religious and cultural traditions.
The facility has served the Levuka community for generations and is around 100 years old, having reportedly been constructed around 1906.
Singh says the restoration also demonstrates that heritage preservation and community development can go hand in hand, with the historic character of the facility maintained while making it functional for future generations.
