Ba (town)

Ba is a town in Fiji, 37 kilometers from Lautoka and 62 kilometers from Nadi, inland from the coast of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. Covering an area of 327 square kilometers, it had a population of 14,596 at the 1996 census. The town is built on the banks of the Ba River, after which it is named. For a long time Ba was famous for its single lane bridge which caused major traffic problems. The old bridge was washed away in the floods of 1990s and a new bridge built downstream. This resulted in the main highway (King's Road) by-pasing Ba town.

Ba is an agricultural centre, populated mostly by Indo-Fijians, which makes it a cultural point for tourists. Sugar cane has long been the mainstay of the local economy, but some manufacturing projects have been established over the past fifteen years. Ba is part of the larger Ba Province, geographically the largest of Fiji's fourteen Provinces.

Ba was incorporated as a Town in 1939, and is governed by a 15-member Town Council, whose members elect a Mayor from among themselves. At the last municipal election held in 2002, 14 of the 15 seats were won by the National Federation Party, with the remaining seat going to an independent candidate. The Mayor is Praveen Bala.

Prominent landmarks include the Rarawai Mill (on the outskirts of the town) and a large mosque near the river in the heart of the town.

External links

* [http://seniorcitizenscentre.goolgepages.com/home Senior Citizens Centre] - A NGO that works to support the elderly of Ba by providing access to health services, education, social gatherings, and financial opportunities.