Ba (town)
Encyclopedia
Ba is a town
in Fiji
, 37 kilometres from Lautoka
and 62 kilometres from Nadi
, inland from the coast of Viti Levu
, Fiji's largest island. Covering an area of 327 square kilometres, 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) bypassing Ba town. Jiaxing city is Ba town sister city .
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 was Praveen Bala
until the year 2010. Currently, Ba does not have a Mayor, instead, Ba is looked after by an Administrator, who also looks after other towns.
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. There is also a giant soccer ball in the heart of the town, which symbolizes that Ba is on of the Best soccer teams in Fiji. Ba is also known as "Soccer Crazy Town" for its many wins in the national tournaments like IDC and BOG.
The town is also the home of some of Fiji's wealthiest families who own some of the country's most successful business houses such as R. C. Manubhai, Dayals, Vinod Patel, Ba Motors, Motibhai, Meenoos, to name a few.
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, 37 kilometres from Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
and 62 kilometres from Nadi
Nadi
Nadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...
, inland from the coast of Viti Levu
Viti Levu
Viti Levu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji, the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population.- Geography and economy :...
, Fiji's largest island. Covering an area of 327 square kilometres, it had a population of 14,596 at the 1996 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. The town is built on the banks of the Ba River
Ba River (Fiji)
The Ba River is located in the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The town of Ba is built on its banks. The Rarawai Sugar Mill is located a kilometer upstream on the bank of the Ba River and makes use of the river water in its boilers....
, 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) bypassing Ba town. Jiaxing city is Ba town sister city .
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
Ba Province
Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of fourteen Provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous Province, with a population of 231,760 - more than a quarter of the nation's...
, 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
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from among themselves. At the last municipal election
Fiji municipal election, 2005
Municipal elections were held for 11 of Fiji's twelve city and town councils on 22 October 2005. In the capital city, however, elections for the Suva City Council were postponed till 12 November, owing to the death of two candidates; the death of a candidate in Lautoka also resulted in the...
held in 2002, 14 of the 15 seats were won by the National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
, with the remaining seat going to an independent candidate. The Mayor was Praveen Bala
Praveen Bala
Praveen Kumar Bala is the current Special Administrator of Lautoka. He is a former President of the Fiji Local Government Association and a former Mayor of the Fijian town of Ba.-Pre-Coup:Bala was first elected Mayor of Ba in 1996...
until the year 2010. Currently, Ba does not have a Mayor, instead, Ba is looked after by an Administrator, who also looks after other towns.
Prominent landmarks include the Rarawai Mill (on the outskirts of the town) and a large mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
near the river in the heart of the town. There is also a giant soccer ball in the heart of the town, which symbolizes that Ba is on of the Best soccer teams in Fiji. Ba is also known as "Soccer Crazy Town" for its many wins in the national tournaments like IDC and BOG.
The town is also the home of some of Fiji's wealthiest families who own some of the country's most successful business houses such as R. C. Manubhai, Dayals, Vinod Patel, Ba Motors, Motibhai, Meenoos, to name a few.