By RANOBA BAOA A $5-million project has been launched which will see a sawmill and a hardware shop setup in Kadavu within the range of the Vunisea Jetty. Green Gold Maritime Sawmilling Limited’s initiative, Kadavu, Koro and Gau Islands Logging, was launched yesterday. It was officiated by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests Lieutenant-Colonel Inia Seruiratu. Green Gold Maritime Sawmilling’s pine harvesting deal will see three islands benefit from the set up of the milling plant and a hardware shop. The milling plant and the hardware shop will also see the creation of employment. Green Gold Maritime Sawmilling chief executive, Krishna Murti, said for years, the people of these islands had been deprived of the much-needed assistance. Pine on the islands was available for harvesting, however, a sawmilling company had not been established. The land set up on Kadavu will be 10-acres. Successful bidder Green Gold Maritime Sawmilling was the successful bidder for the Government tender for this initiative. The initiative was enabled through Land Force Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, Commissioner Eastern Netani Rika and representatives of Kadavu Island. “Because of their support and confidence in us, we have started this initiative,” Mr Murti said. “The people of these islands have been in need of service and the much-needed assistance, but there was no one there to go and do the job for them. “We are opening a hardware shop for them so they don’t have to come to the mainland.” Support to initiate project Lieutenant-Colonel Seruiratu was in full acknowledgement of the initiative undertaken by Mr Murti and the stakeholders who had made the project a reality. “In his own way, Mr Murti has also made a contribution to Government’s urban drift problem,” he said. “We have seen rise in crimes because of urban drift and in a way, Mr Murti has taken it upon himself to take on this initiative to solve this problem. “I hope with the stakeholders who are here it will be an opportunity for us to establish a network to strengthen our relationships in good spirit.”
Green Gold Maritime Sawmilling Limited chief executive, Krishna Murti (second left), explains about their operation to Minister for Agriculture, Lieutenant-Colonel Inia Seruiratu after Kadavu, Koro and Gau Island Logging launch in Sawani, Nausori, yesterday. Photo: RONALD KUMAR