Ground Breaking Ceremony of Rakiraki Municipal Market

The Honourable Prime Minister Mr. Voreqe Bainimarama officiated at the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the new Rakiraki Municipal Market.

The market will be home to 307 vendor stalls, which is more than double the 127 stalls in the market today.

“This is an investment not just in a market, but in the future of Rakiraki. It will significantly boost growth opportunities and promote the growth of small and medium-sized business. An expanded market facility means more opportunity for new small-scale entrepreneurs to establish businesses, and we believe that will have a multiplier effect on this town’s economy.”

The Hon. Prime Minister said that the Rakiraki market would be a safe place for rural women to stay overnight when they travel long distances to sell their products. He also said that it would provide the people of the area with direct access to fresh, local and seasonal food, exposure to a wide variety of foods, and the opportunity to learn about how the food was produced and how to use it.  It would also allow people of this area to support their neighbours, create a strong sense of community and help build a vibrant local economy.

 

The first phase of the project alone represents an investment of some $5.84 million. This is the biggest infrastructure investment by UN Women so far.  The government contributed $2.64 million into this project, while the Australian government and UN Women contributed the balance.

The Project is expected to be completed over a period of twelve months.

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