78 homeowners’ applications approved for Fiji's Termite Control Subsidy Programme

78 applications have been assessed and confirmed that they meet the criteria for the Control Assistance Programme by Fiji's Termites Taskforce.

This has been highlighted by Assistant Minister Sashi Kiran during the press conference on the Termites Control Assistance Programme by providing an update on the relief packages to homeowners who have been affected by the Asian Subterranean Termites infestation where she says that a subsidy of $5,000 is provided for households with a combined household income of less than $30,000 and a subsidy of $2,000 is provided for households with a combined household income between $30,000 and $50,000.

Kiran says priority has been given to applications with a combined household income of less than $30,000 with due consideration given to the extent of damages to their housing infrastructure.

Kiran says the termite subsidy programme is on a first come first serve basis and the service provider must provide the complete requirements before the payment is done to the service provider.

Kiran says to stop the spread of termites, it is important to destroy the infected materials and not allow the transfer of these materials from the infected zone to the non-infected zone.

Insert: Kiran on termites IB 24th June

The Assistant Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, Sakiasi Tubuna says the Asian Subterranean Termites were first detected in 2019 in Lautoka and they have seen significant infrastructure damage to Fijian households in other parts of Fiji like Ba, Nadi, Labasa and recently in Nakasi. Tubuna says the 2023-2024 National Budget allocation was $3 million for a termite control assistance programme to curb the spread of termites and to provide assistance for the repair of houses.

He says it also creates fear among the people.

Tubuna further says the Termites Subsidy Programme is specifically targeted and provides packages to homeowners affected by termites in the Western Division and the pilot program has begun in Lautoka.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says the problem of termites has been around for some time and now becoming a national problem and the Coalition Government is working on it to avoid the spreading of the termites across Fiji.

Professor Biman says the problem has been occurring for the last 10 years and nobody has been talking about it.

He says the collaboration from the termites task force, stakeholders and Biosecurity Authority will ensure the avoidance of termites in the future.