Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Mosese Bulitavu joined the Western Division team working around the clock to deliver much-needed relief supplies to flood-affected families at four evacuation centres (ECs) in Ba and Lautoka.
The relief supplies included essential non-food items (NFIs) to support families as they begin the recovery process following the recent floods.
The evacuation centres visited were Nasolo Village Hall and Nailaga Village Hall in Ba, as well as Lovu Sangam Primary School and Sun Black Apartment in Lautoka.
While addressing evacuees, Bulitavu expressed his appreciation to families for heeding official advisories and proactively relocating to designated evacuation centres to ensure their safety.
He encouraged those affected to remain strong and to make good use of the non-food items provided by the Government as they work towards rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.
The Ministry also extended its sincere gratitude to the Governments of Australia and New Zealand for their generous support through the provision of non-food items, which will greatly assist affected families in the aftermath of the floods.
The Minister was also on the ground in Ra assessing the impacts of floods on affected communities and critical infrastructure in the west.
He visited the Vunikavikaloa Crossing in Nalawa, Nailawa Irish Crossing in Saivou, Korotale Crossing in Naroko, Katudrau Crossing in Rakiraki, and Qalau Flats.
Meanwhile, Opposition MP Viam Pillay says it is not enough to monitor from a distance while villages and settlements are cut off.
In a statement, Pillay says the flooding across the Western Division left our communities in a difficult position and it is clear that the response on the ground is not meeting the urgency of the situation.
He says the Opposition is calling on the relevant Ministries and authorities to move immediately, and they need to see assistance reaching those who were badly affected.
The Opposition MP says our people are facing serious disruptions, damaged crossings, roads covered in debris and critical water cuts due to broken pipes.
He adds that the Government should already be on the ground with the necessary machinery and personnel to clear access and restore essential services as families cannot get back to their normal lives, farmers cannot tend to their crops and businesses cannot reopen until these are back online.
He says they are demanding that the Government stop the delays, get out of the offices and get the help moving to the people of the West who need it most.
