A JOURNEY OF LOVE FOR THE VANUA OF LAU WITH THE NASESE BUS COMPANY

In the heart of Suva, one month ago, bus driver Kele Corin walked into his supervisor’s office with a simple request. The devoted family man wanted to know the charter rate to transport his extended family, Yavusa Drekeivuci, to his ancestral village of Yadrana on the remote island of Lakeba in Lau Province.

The occasion was nothing short of historic – the installation (veibuli) of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara as Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua o Lau, and Tui Lau. For Kele and his family, being present for this momentous ceremony wasn’t just important – it was essential. What happened next would exemplify the true spirit of Fijian community and generosity that transcends business transactions.

Nasese Buses Limited Director Jack Kumar didn’t reach for his calculator or quote standard charter rates. Instead, he made a decision that would touch hearts and make history. “Sometimes it’s not about money. It’s about the community,” Kumar explained in a recent interview. “We serve all people from all regions of Fiji and we are proud to be part of this historical momentous occasion.” The bus would be provided absolutely free – no strings attached, no prior arrangements, just pure community spirit in action. When pressed about his decision to waive all charges, Kumar’s response reflected the deeper values that drive true community service: “Sometimes people don’t need money, but just the love of people.” Kumar emphasized that there was no calculated business strategy behind the gesture. “I just wanted the company to go down in history, just by being part of this momentous occasion,” he said.

As the ceremony unfolds today in Lakeba, while dignitaries and chiefs gather to witness the installation of the new Tui Nayau, there’s a special story of connection that made it all possible. The warriors tasked with protecting the newly installed Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara traveled to their sacred duty aboard a bus provided not through commerce, but through compassion.

For Kele Corin and the people of Yadrana, Nasese Buses Limited didn’t just provide transportation – they provided hope, connection, and proof that their company slogan “We’ll Go, Wherever You Go” isn’t just marketing speak, but a genuine commitment to serving Fiji’s diverse communities.

In an age where corporate responsibility often feels calculated and distant, Jack Kumar’s spontaneous act of generosity reminds us that sometimes the most profound impacts come from the simplest gestures of human kindness.

As Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara takes his place as the traditional leader of Lau, he does so knowing that his people were brought together not just by ancient custom and reverence, but by the modern-day kindness of strangers who understood that some journeys are about more than just reaching a destination – they’re about preserving the bonds that hold communities together.

Today, as history is made in Lakeba, a humble bus company has earned its place in that history – not through grand gestures or publicity campaigns, but through the simple act of caring for their fellow Fijians when it mattered most.

Images-NEPS ROKO