Nadi wants street kids out
Monday, February 19, 2007
Laite Rakanace carries her four-year-old son Jone Varawa from Pacific Theological College kindergarten school to their home in Veiuto yesterday in the heavy rain
The Nadi Town council wants all street boys off the streets because it does not support touting.
Nadi Mayor Salesh Mudliar said while touting laws were being explored by Cabinet, the town council did not have any interest in supporting such a system.
As such, it does not intend to issue identification cards to street dwellers like the Suva municipality.
He said the town council would not have any control of the street boys who hassle tourist that shop in the town.
"We cannot give street boys these so-called ID cards because for one there are too many of them and secondly anyone could apply for one," he said.
"We want them off our streets.
"Anyone coming in to Nadi to shop should be given space to move freely and not be harassed or hassled by these street boys.
"Shoppers coming into Nadi don’t need street kids to be harassing them while they shop.
Many tourist that come into Nadi come from larger countries than Fiji."
Mr Mudliar was reacting to queries raised on the issue by concerned ratepayers.
Suva’s street kids have been on the streets operating as shoeshine boys, wheelbarrow operators and some simply ask for money.
