RELOCATING flood-prone Nadi Town is not an option.
Businesses leaders from the tourist centre who met with government officials yesterday said moving establishments would be a costly affair and called on the investigation of other options such river diversion and straightening.
"The cost and logistics of moving Nadi Town makes it an impossible task and this is something that we are not even going to discuss at this stage or in the near future," said Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Dr Ram Raju.
"We simply have got to find solutions to minimise flooding."
Dr Ram said that while many businesses had affirmed they would continue to operate despite substantial losses from flood damage, a few were looking at the possibility of relocating to higher ground and safer areas.
"I would like to commend those that choose to continue operating here despite what they have gone through and put to rest a lot speculation in the media about the town centre relocating ù that is simply not going to happen."
"There are several reasons for this ù apart from the obvious one of cost, many businesses have invested heavily for decades in infrastructure and then there is the sentimental value of businesses in Nadi where operations have been passed down from generation to generation.
"It is no easy task to just uproot everything and move," he said.