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Labasa
Updated: Monday, February 18, 2008
Labasa's pride and joy is the one set of traffic lights that sit in the middle of the town. That's because it is the only set of traffic lights on the entire island of Vanua Levu. Of course, just because it's up doesn't mean it's working all the time so motorists love it!
Labasa is located in the Province of Macuata, on the north-eastern side of Fiji's second-largest island Vanua Levu. It has a sugar mill on the banks of a river that runs through the town - which provides many seasonal jobs. It is also a fishing and timber town.
Economic Activities - The surrounding areas of Labasa are mostly farming areas, which contribute to much of the industry in the town. The largest crop grown is sugar cane. The large Fiji Sugar Corporation sugar mill in Labasa town is the only such mill on the island.
The past two decades of political carnage have not had a good impact on Labasa, with many sugar cane farmers opting to leave the land in favour of work in the Capital City Suva. So production of sugar has been steadily declining.
Labasa also has the biggest hospital on the island which is the referral centre for all health centres and hospitals on Vanua Levu and for the islands surrounding it.
Labasa is generally an agricultural town, off the tourist track. Labasa now has a couple of good hotels (Takia/Travel Lodge and Grand Eastern Hotel). There is at least one good movie theatre and several good restaurants in the main street providing a range of local and Chinese flavours.
It has a certain old world type of charm. There is a fairly large market at one end of town which has a range of foods, spices, fish, poultry, goats and other local products. A large taxi stand and a bus station is also beside the market.
Government - Incorporated as a Town in 1939, Labasa is governed by a Town Council, whose members elect a Mayor from among themselves. Councillors serve three-year terms; the Mayor's term is for one year, but may be extended any number of times.