20 Jun 2006

Lack of water forces closure of school in Fiji

10:03 am on 20 June 2006

A lack of water at the Fiji government's premier school for indigenous Fijians girls has forced nearly 1,000 students to be sent home.

The Fiji Sun reports that students at Adi Cakobau School at Sawani, just north of Suva, have been told to return tomorrow.

The school principal, Anna Billings, is quoted as saying the Public Works Department had promised to fix the problem within 2 hours but had made no effort to reply or answer calls for the last three days.

Ms Billings says they are fed of making calls and hearing their false promises.

She says 440 boarders had not been able to wash their clothes since Saturday.

Meanwhile, another newspaper report says thousands of residents of nearby Nasinu town long facing water supply problems are planning to stage a protest march.

Led by Nasinu mayor Rajeshwar Kumar, they have applied to for a permit to protest next week.