There has been a boost in the rehabilitation of schools in the North that were damaged by TC Yasa, the reconstruction of Vunisea hospital in Kadavu and Waiyevo hospital on Taveuni.
This after an additional funding of $9million was received today from the government of Australia earmarked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Cyclone Recovery.
While expressing his gratitude to the Australian High Commission in Fiji Chargé d’affaires, Stuart Watts, for the assistance to Fiji through the Vuvale Partnership, Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said the support for education and health was very timely.
He thanked the Australian government for all the support it had rendered to Fiji over the years.
“The total support, including those that started during COVID-19 is about $FJD370m,” Prof Biman said.
“This additional support amounting to FJ$9m (AUD$6m) is a critical help, given that we still have not completed rehabilitating the schools that were damaged during Cyclone Yasa.
“These nine schools selected in Vanua Levu, which were damaged by TC Yasa, are critical infrastructure for our rural education – including primary and secondary education. I was able to see firsthand the conditions in which our students were studying in, so this help in building the schools is a critical and timely assistance by the Australian government and we are grateful for that.
“The $AUD5m from this $AUD6m is going towards rehabilitating/reconstructing two important health facilities in the outer islands of Taveuni and Kadavu,” Prof Biman said.
Mr Watts said that along with education, strengthening health services was a key pillar of the Vuvale Partnership.
The deliberate decision to use local Fijian builders, contractors and suppliers for the recovery program has also been welcomed as it directly contributes to the Fijian economy.
Australia’s assistance to Fiji through the DFAT Cyclone Recovery program amounts to a total value of almost $FJD52m.
