The Fiji Police Force will now be able to have an enhanced operation and quicker response time during natural disasters after the formalization of a $5.5m assistance from the Japanese government.
While speaking at the Exchange of Notes signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Masahiro Omura says this grant will support the procurement of maritime safety and security equipment such as life boats, a lifesaving launcher and equipment for scuba diving.
He says this will also enhance the Fiji Police Force’s capacity on search and rescue operations.
Omura says that Fiji’s recent experience of Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 which affected over 540,000 people has enforced the need to have a more capable and well equipped operations facility serving the coastal maritime areas.
Meanwhile the Permanent Secretary of the Office of Prime Minister Yogesh Karan says that the Fijian government values this assistance a lot.
Karan says that Fiji is proud to have Japan partnering in this sort of assistance.
