The Vatuwaqa Funeral Rites Facility will enable Hindu communities to carry out the final rites of their loved ones in a clean, functional and appropriate space.
Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the facility will end the unnecessary struggle of mourning families.
“The facilities include amenities such as parking area, cooking facilities, a space where rites can be performed a walkway and a small jetty which is more than 20 m in length for the asthi visarjan rituals and sanitation facilities which also includes showers. This funeral facility provides everything needed for funeral rites which up till today has taken on a peaceful basis at different locations with little to no privacy and other inconveniences.”
Opposition MP Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu commended the initiative however says this was a touchy issue years ago.
“The cemetery has been there quite some time cremation of friends, dear our loved ones has been part and partial of our daily lives here in Fiji but the provision of certain rights to be accorded to some, that was a touchy issue then but now given the way we all come together and the way we all live together this initiative needs to be commended.”
The funeral facility was the idea of former National Federation Party parliamentarian Sayed Abdul Khaiyum who put this motion for such a facility to parliament more than twenty years ago.
NFP MP Pramod Chand explained why the project never evolved.
“The motion was agreed to unanimously by SVT, NFP and FLPO and referred to the PM’s office to see under which act it could be dealt with however madam speaker four months later on 25th March 1999 parliament was dissolved for the May 1999 elections and both SVT and NFP lost so nothing could be done us, we were not there but we are pleased that after almost 12 years in power this government has initiated and completed the project.”
The Government has plans to build similar facilities in Nadi, Lautoka, Nausori and Labasa.
