Peceli Naviticoko 
[File Photo]
The Fiji Taxi Association has raised concerns about the road conditions around the country in the last few months.
President Ashwin Lal highlighted this, saying that this is one of the reasons why taxi drivers are refusing to take customers on routes that have poor road conditions.
He says that the Fiji Roads Authority and relevant stakeholders should seriously look into the issue of our roads and get it fixed.
Audio Player“If the road conditions are so bad and all the stakeholders, including the bus operators, taxi operators, mini-bus operators, and private vehicles, are paying the taxi and road levy tax, what is the use of taking the tax when the condition of the road is so bad and getting worse day by day.”
Lal adds that the poor road conditions have not only affected drivers but customers as well; even some cars need to go for services because of the impact of the roads, which needs urgent attention.
The Minister for Public Works and Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, has highlighted that the FRA is currently doing the upgrade works on all the roads that have already been budgeted under the current budget, despite the limitation.
Earlier this year, the government allocated an increased allocation of $100.6 million for road maintenance to FRA during the 2023–2024 budget, of which $42 million was for completed maintenance and emergency works, $60 million for the renewal and resurfacing of roads, and $18.3 million for the rural roads program.
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