Labasa

Labasa (pronounced [lamˈbasa]) is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.

Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers – the Wailevu, the Labasa (after which the town is named), and the Qawa. The latter two are connected by an 8-kilometre canal. The main street of Labasa prides itself for having the first set of traffic lights in the entire island.

Economic activities

The surrounding areas of Labasa are mostly farming areas, which contribute to much of the industry in the town. The largest crop grown is sugar cane. The large Fiji Sugar Corporation sugar mill in Labasa town is the only such mill on the island.

Recently, due to political changes and loss of overseas markets, sugar cane farming and production has been steadily decreasing. This has been reflected in the increasing migration of people to the main island of Viti Levu, in search of employment opportunities.

Labasa (Open Constituency, Fiji)

Labasa Open is a former electoral division of Fiji, one of 25 open constituencies that were elected by universal suffrage (the remaining 46 seats, called communal constituencies, were allocated by ethnicity). Established by the 1997 Constitution, it came into being in 1999 and was used for the parliamentary elections of 1999, 2001, and 2006. The electorate covered the largest Town on the northern island of Vanua Levu.

The 2013 Constitution promulgated by the Military-backed interim government abolished all constituencies and established a form of proportional representation, with the entire country voting as a single electorate.

Election results

In the following tables, the primary vote refers to first-preference votes cast. The final vote refers to the final tally after votes for low-polling candidates have been progressively redistributed to other candidates according to pre-arranged electoral agreements (see electoral fusion), which may be customized by the voters (see instant run-off voting).

Labasa (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)

Labasa Indian Communal is a former electoral division of Fiji, one of 19 communal constituencies reserved for Indo-Fijians. Established by the 1997 Constitution, it came into being in 1999 and was used for the parliamentary elections of 1999, 2001, and 2006. (Of the remaining 52 seats, 27 were reserved for other ethnic communities and 25, called Open Constituencies, were elected by universal suffrage). The electorate covered the Town of Labasa, the largest urban centre on the northern island of Vanua Levu.

The 2013 Constitution promulgated by the Military-backed interim government abolished all constituencies and established a form of proportional representation, with the entire country voting as a single electorate.

Election results

In the following tables, the primary vote refers to first-preference votes cast. The final vote refers to the final tally after votes for low-polling candidates have been progressively redistributed to other candidates according to pre-arranged electoral agreements (see electoral fusion), which may be customized by the voters (see instant run-off voting).