Residents of Rewa Street and Howell road raised concerns on health, housing and education as priority areas of concern at the National Development Plan consultations last night.
The NDP consultations held at Jai Narayan College and Suva Sangam Secondary School gathered residents of nearby areas who raised concerns on issues of equal opportunity to access health services and the right to education for every child.
Seventy-eight year old, Humphrey Chang is a retired business man who raised issues on scholarship and the national minimum wage rate.
“I would like more scholarships to be given to school leavers so that they all have equal opportunity to higher education,” Mr Chang said.
Mr Chang added that school-leavers should also be supported through apprentice trainings and certification and paid equal wage rate.
“The National Employment Centre (NEC) should also provide employment and hands-on training in addition to the assistance that they provide,” Mr Chang said.
Forty-three year old self employed, Jone Gonevou said housing is a major concern for low income earners.
“I am concerned on the sub-division of land in squatter areas as being unfair and having ‘no privacy’. Houses are built so close to each other that it is unhygienic and over populated. There should be sufficient space allocated to each resident and local authorities should monitor squatter settlements,” Gonevou said.
This week, more than 20 venues were covered for the central division consultations.
Press Release