February 18, 2008

Fiji Times

VILLAGERS in the Naitasiri and Tailevu North and Ra areas are reportedly running out of food supplies after their plantations were destroyed by Cyclone Gene.

Photo: Police and Udu villagers in a joint search for teenager Seini Likudrotini

Senitiki Naqa of Savusavu village near Wailoa Power Station said they had enough food to last them for a week.

"After that we will be at the mercy of Government who have yet to assess our areas," he said.

"Instead of talking about native reserves they should concentrate on relief for our people affected by Cyclone Gene who are already suffering from the poor road conditions and the absence of bus services in our area."

Malakai Marama of Naroko settlement in Wailoa said they had given their damage assessments to the turaga ni koro (village headman) at Udu Village.

Udu headman Waisake Turuva said all their plantations were damaged during the cyclone and plantations that used to feed students at the school in Laselevu were badly damaged also.

Sakeasi Lautari of Udu Village said they understood the Government was facing problems but they should try to get relief supplies to people in the interior affected by the cyclone three weeks ago.

Ratu Esala Kuruvadua of Nadovu said all their cassava plantations were badly damaged and they were lucky to find crops that had not been damaged.

"An agricultural officer has come to assess the extent of damage here but we have yet to receive any relief supplies," he said

Nabukadra villagers in Ra have also reported they are running out of food since Gene ravaged plantations and destroyed thousands of root crops.

Adi Cakau Anaseini confirmed yesterday food supply was very low and work in the plantations was continuing to replace damaged crops.

She confirmed Government officials had assessed damage caused by Gene but no assistance had been received yet.

"We have very little food and are trying to make ends meet. Life in the village is slowly coming back but food supply is very low," she said.

It was earlier reported children in the affected villages were going to school with very little food because of the shortage.

But Adi Cakau said preparing lunch was a priority for parents who have managed so far to provide their children with food for school.

She again appealed for assistance. Nabukadra is located close to the Tailevu Ra border to the north-east of Viti Levu.

Assistant district officer Ra, Faiyaz Ali had confirmed the overall damage in the Ra province estimated at more than $4 million.

The interim Government has allocated $1.5 million to assist those affected around the country.

Disaster Management Centre director Joeli Rokovada could not be contacted yesterday but he earlier confirmed field officers who conducted assessments were responsible for distributing food rations to those affected. The interim Government has assessed damage caused by Gene nationwide at $45m.

The deputy secretary of the Provincial Development ministry, Mukesh Chand, said they were relying on the $5m in the Prime Minister's Hurricane Relief Trust account.

He said the sum was likely to increase after they received the full assessment from the various teams and Cabinet was aware of this.

"The survey is still being conducted but most of it has been one," Mr Chand said. He said $1.7m had been set aside from the hurricane relief trust fund for food supplies.

The distribution of food rations to affected areas around the country was expected to have started yesterday.

Mr Chand said the Ministry of Finance was expected to find an additional $40m for relief supplies and rehabilitation after Cabinet gives the green light.

In the meantime, each ministry is expected to fork out what it can to facilitate the rehabilitation process in their respective sectors.

Mr Chand said the agricultural sector fetched the highest amount of damage at $17million, followed by roads at $13.3m, water $5m, health $1.39m, electricity $1.3m, housing $1.1m, education $287,000 and forestry $212,000.

Public Works deputy secretary Vula Vakacegu said they had spent $350,000 on the northern division alone and had yet to tally the amount of money spent in the central and eastern divisions so far.

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