The Australian Government has pledged additional funding of $9 million to its DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Cyclone Recovery Program to Fiji.
The program was first launched in 2021 to help reconstruct school buildings in Vanua Levu following the mass destruction by Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony, Australia’s Chargé d’Affaires to Fiji, Stuart Watts said the funds would help furnish new classroom buildings and offices that would be completed next month.
“All new classroom buildings, office blocks, and dormitories will be fully furnished and ready for the children to continue their education over the coming months,” Mr Watts said.
“Through this program, we’re already constructing nine schools, the first of these schools is due to be completed in July this year. The buildings are environmentally sustainable, constructed from locally sourced materials, and equipped with solar power and rainwater tanks.
“Recognising the impacts of climate change, all new buildings are built to withstand Category 5 cyclones and with walls that retract back to provide a large open space that can serve as evacuation centres during storms. The program just had a value of $44m.”
He said the larger component of the funding would go to reconstructing the Vunisea Hospital on Kadavu and Waiyevo Hospital on Taveuni.
“Secondly, the largest component of the additional support announced today is to enable us to deliver on the commitment we made last year to expand the scope of the program and provide rehabilitation support for the Vunisea Hospital on Kadavu and the Waiyevo Hospital on Taveuni. These medical facilities provide critical health services to a significant number of Fijians, living not only on Taveuni and Kadavu but also in many maritime islands.
“In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MOHMS), we will soon engage in architecture health care to develop a master infrastructure plan for each hospital and to make recommendations on the most urgent infrastructure investments that can be supported through the cyclone recovery program. Our goal is to improve the resilience of these critical buildings through structural upgrades that will reduce the risks from future storms.”
Mr Watts said a part of the agreement was to “use only Fijian builders, contractors and suppliers” as the program aimed to directly contribute to the economy. The total value of the cyclone recovery program stands at about $52m.
