LABASA market vendors have raised concerns about the condition of the market which they claim has affected their income during this adverse weather.
A group of women vendors who sit under a torn tarpaulin in an open area are either drenched or have had their produce such as chillies damaged by the rain.
Lusiana Matai, a vendor of more than 10 years and head of the Root Crop Group of Women, said the condition had remained unchanged since she started selling produce from the market. "Every time it rains, the tables get wet and form pools of water — our vegetables are drenched on the table.
"Most of us bought new tarpaulins for our stalls to replace the old ones but rain continues to find its way in and holes have started to appear in the tarpaulin, so water leaks through.
"Most of us are women selling for our families and during this kind of weather, we get wet and fall sick, so that means our families suffer too because we don't earn any income."
Mrs Matai said some vendors, particularly women, had stayed home since last week's wet weather.
"Most of us have moved to Labasa Town from villages to look after the education of our children, and we have to sell in the market to earn an income to support our children," said Mrs Matai.
She said she visited the Labasa Town Council office to inform them of the conditions under which they worked but not many changes had happened.
Special administrator Vijay Chand said a tender had been awarded to a construction company for the work at the market.
"We have provided makeshift stalls for the vendors because we know they need an income to support their families," he said.
"While allowing them to sell from makeshift stalls, we have also made plans for the construction work at the market, that tender has been awarded to a company and work will begin soon," said Mr Chand.