Lautoka

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometers north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Covering an area of 1607 square kilometers, it had a population of 42,917 at the 1996 census, the last held to date. It is the birthplace of PGA TOUR Hall of Famer Vijay Singh.

1 Economic activities
2 History
3 Politics
4 External links

[edit] Economic activities

Lautoka is known as the Sugar City because of its cane belt areas. The main Lautoka Sugar Mill is the city's biggest employer by far. Built for the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji) (CSR) by imported labourers from India and the Solomon Islands between 1899 and 1903, it hires some 1300 employees today. Other industries include timber milling, garment manufacturing, distillery, brewery, jewellery, blending, steelworks, fishing, hatchery, domestic items, paints, and construction.

[edit] History

The name of the city is derived from two Fijian words meaning "spear hit." According to an oral tradition, the name arose following a duel between two chiefs. As one speared the other, he was reported to have cried "Lau-toka!"

The first known European sighting of the Lautoka area took place on 7 May 1789. Captain William Bligh spotted and roughly charted the coasts of Lautoka while making his epic voyage to Timor, in the wake of the Mutiny on the Bounty in which he and a few sailors loyal to him were thrown overboard and cast adrift on a life boat.

[edit] Politics

Incorporated as a town in 1929, Lautoka was proclaimed a city on 25 February 1977. It is governed by a 16-member city council, who elect from among themselves a Mayor. Bijesh Chand of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) was elected Mayor in 2005, succeeding Rajendra Goundar, also of the FLP. Chand later left the party, however, and contested the municipal elections of October-November 2005 as an independent candidate. He lost his seat. The FLP won 12 seats and the United Fiji Party (SDL) 4.

Lautoka is at present the only city in Fiji's Western Division, which contains more than 50 percent of the nation's population. It is also the headquarters of the Fiji Electricity Authority, the Fiji Pine Ltd, and the National Marketing Authority.

v • d • e

Subdivisions of Ba Province, Fiji

Cities and towns:	Ba \| Lautoka City \| Nadi \| Tavua
Districts:	Ba \| Lautoka \| Nadi \| Tavua

v • d • e

Political divisions of Fiji

Divisions:	Central \| Eastern \| Northern \| Western
Provinces:	Ba \| Bua \| Cakaudrove \| Kadavu \| Lau \| Lomaiviti \| Macuata \| Nadroga-Navosa \| Naitasiri \| Namosi \| Ra \| Rewa \| Serua \| Tailevu
Dependency:	Rotuma
Cities:	Lautoka \| Suva
Towns:	Ba \| Labasa \| Lami \| Levuka \| Nadi \| Nasinu \| Nausori \| Savusavu \| Sigatoka \| Tavua