Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
{File Photo}
Counterstroke Fiji President Elizabeth Fong has renewed calls for urgent reforms to make public transportation accessible.
She says that current systems continue to exclude vulnerable citizens, despite long-standing advocacy and direct engagement with authorities.
Specific concerns persist regarding the adequacy of transport assistance for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Stroke survivors and people with mobility issues are still facing difficulty accessing public transport.
“Look at our buses, the steps are this narrow, and they’re this deep, they’re not even regular size, so a stroke person can’t get in the bus. If you’re in a wheelchair, well, forget it, you just have to taxi.”
Fiji Council of Social Services Executive Director Vani Catanasiga says that inclusive policies are only on paper.
She says that the issue of disability access in public transport has been an issue for a very long time and nothing has been done to improve that.
“I think this is a high time that this issue is looked into with some urgency, not only because of people with disabilities but also because of the elderly. I think buses are an example of what happens when the government is not monitoring how we are implementing some of our commitments for inculcating or integrating people with disabilities into our society, into our community.”
Stakeholders acknowledge ongoing discussions around disability policies; however, implementation remains lacking.
They also say that being accessible to public transport should be treated as a national priority, noting that the issue also carries political significance as Fiji approaches future elections.
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