With the opening of a Land Transport Authority office in Nabouwalu, residents will now be able to save their up on travelling costs to access these services in Labasa.
This new office is the fruit of consultations the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama held with the people of Bua province last year.
While opening the office, Minister of Works, Transport and Public Utilities Colonel Timoci Natuva said the LTA had become people focused.
“With this opening, LTA has emulated the very nature of the Bainimarama Government – listening to your problems and coming up with solutions,” Col Natuva said.
“Government is all about reaching out to the isolated and it will bring these services closer to you – we are witnessing it in most other sectors, for instance health services are undergoing a phase of decentralization and now the transportation sector.”
The people of Nabouwalu no longer have to travel long hours for LTA services.
“You no longer have to travel four hours to Labasa, for some areas of Bua it’s about six hours of travelling or some pay as much as $100 in boat and bus fares – to do business with LTA,” Natuva said.
He said LTA was aligning itself to Pillar 4 of the People’s Charter of “Enhancing Public Sector Efficiency, Performance Effectiveness and Service Delivery.
Col Natuva added such developments would increase the growth of the northern economy.
The new LTA office will provide complete services to the people of Bua.
“The office will provide all services that you will see in any other LTA office. From the vehicle registration to drivers license, even to the enforcement activities and also the area of vehicle inspection,” LTA chief executive officer Naisa Tuinaceva said.
He said the office would be open two or three days of the week depending on the volume of the need and demand.
The office was operational straight after its opening with the first customer renewing his license.
Alifereti Tuinamata, the first customer of the new LTA office has been living in Bua from the past 10 years and believes this service is long overdue.
He said: “Now people of Bua do not have to pay double amount for travelling just to get a license for a year or so.”
“We spend about $30 travelling over to Labasa just to make a license for one year and the cost of one license is jus $14. So now it will be easier for us and we don’t have to face the hassle every year,” Mr Tuinamata said.
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