The Ministry of Housing and Community Development confirms that residents of the Housing Assistance and Relief Trust or HART who featured in the Fiji Times yesterday and today, pay $5 a week or $20 a month for their rent and not $42 as stated.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Sanjeeva Perera says the Ministry would also like to reiterate that rent payment for all HART residents have been put on hold from 20th March of this year and will continue to be so, amid the COVID 19 pandemic and effects of Tropical Cyclone Harold.
Perera says furthermore, HART Chief Executive Paserio Furivai and his team have been working closely with the Water Authority of Fiji and Energy Fiji Limited on having special bill payment arrangements for its residents according to the COVID 19 Budget response. He further says HART over the past weeks has distributed food rations donated by individuals and organisations adding whilst HART prioritizes families of single mothers with little children, families of those with special needs and senior citizens, they continue to work with community leaders, in identifying those who are in need and work towards providing the much needed assistance.
Perera adds HART has been working collaboratively with other organisations and individuals on providing assistance towards its residence and the response has been encouraging.
He says this has enabled them to reach out to residents who are most in need.
He confirms residents of HART will also be assisted by the Veilomani Food Bank initiative.
