Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama met with members of the Ba Chamber of Commerce last fortnight, assuring them of speedy government assistance.
“Your concern is my concern now,” he said, adding that the government was exploring ways to help small businesses and market vendors affected by the floods.
“We are right behind the Government. We may be down but we are not out, and all of us will see how we can help those affected in Ba with food and water,” Daniel Elisha, owner of Elisha Engineering said.
Mr Bainimarama agreed. “We will bounce back, just like the Sun will shine tomorrow.”
Members of the Chamber also discussed ways in which they can work with the government to help prepare for future disasters, including training for rescue operations or organising neighbourhood watch programmes.
Mr Bainimarama has directed the Disaster Management Office staff and assessment teams to reach out to communities and determine their immediate needs.
A team was instructed to go to Navala Village in the highlands of Ba, which has been cut off following a major landslide near Ebotu.
Quick decisions
During another briefing, Mr Bainimarama said that there was only one Commissioner in the Western region with a handful of District Officers and hence it was important that they made decisions on the ground.
He directed them to determine the needs of the people and provide supplies and services accordingly because there were still some areas without water or rations.
“Go on the ground, assess and make decisions because the Commissioner Western- Joeli Cawaki has a lot to do,” Mr Bainimarama said.
He ordered a team to go by foot to Navala Village, which was inaccessible from both Ba and the Sigatoka Valley Road.
Restoration works are continuing throughout the Western Division, which has been the worst hit during the latest adverse weather conditions.
Students affected
Mr Bainimarama said he was concerned about the education of children whose lives were affected following the devastating floods across areas in Viti Levu.
He said that those in the western division struggled in the wake of two separate floods this year.
“Education is a priority and many children have been severely affected because they have been away from school for some time now,” he said and instructed officials to ensure that students were provided with the basic resources when they returned to school.
Following the January floods, the opening of some schools was delayed, which Mr Bainimarama said will have serious impact on their education.
“We need all schools to open soon because education must continue. Children have been out of school for long and this will affect their education,” he said.
He said the government will continue to identify ways of helping affected students with uniforms, books and stationery.
Emosi Lasaqa is the Editor of The Jet Newspaper published in Fiji. The above is a combination of reports reproduced along with photographs with the permission of Publisher Shalendra Prasad.
