Ifira General Services restore Blacksands rough road

May 28, 2026 10:54 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Anita Roberts.

Residents of Blacksands can now enjoy a smoother bus ride home now that Ifira General Services (IGS) has restored the heavily pothole-damaged road.

Located just a few minutes’ drive from Port Vila town, the entire Blacksands road was in very poor condition, with so many potholes that it was difficult to drive on. Residents often had to get off at the main road (HXM Tagabe Supermarket) and walk home instead because drivers did not want to drive on the rough road.

Over the past years, residents tried to improve the road themselves by filling in potholes, but their efforts usually did not last during bad weather. Potholes would reappear and worsen when it rained.

As of yesterday, IGS machines were on the unpaved road improving it by spreading new gravel, making it safer and easier to travel on.

President of the SHEFA Provincial Government Council (SPGC), Sam Kiri, who is a resident of Blacksands, said IGS was awarded a contract by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU) at a cost of around VT8 million.

Mr. Kiri said the road is expected to be tarsealed after this upgrade.

He said the road was left in poor condition for a long time as the government was focusing on other roads in Port Vila that also needed improvement.

He said he had approached the minister responsible for the road upgrades.

The government has already approved the funds for this upgrade and the road is expected to be tarsealed later this year by the same company, he added.