Fellow citizens of Fiji I address you this afternoon regarding the recent events that have come about because of Hurricane Tomas ('Tomas').
Most of Fiji and in particular the densely populated areas were spared the devastating effects of Tomas.
However, our citizens in the northern region, the Lomaiviti and Lau Groups have suffered the brunt of Tomas.
The winds of Tomas reached up to speeds of 130 knots or 240 km per hour. To state the obvious such winds can only cause devastation.
Government's first priority at this stage is to carry out an assessment to determine the full extent of the damage. While carrying out these assessments, emergency supplies including food and water shall be delivered to the affected regions.
The divisional Eastern and Northern Commissioners are spearheading the assessment teams and emergency relief work.
In this respect under the arrangement of FANZ which is the arrangement between France, Australia and New Zealand for assistance to Pacific Island countries, these countries shall be providing emergency relief supplies and assist in carrying out aerial surveys to determine the full extent of the damage.
The New Zealand Air Force aircraft landed in Fiji this morning with the Australian and French airplanes being deployed for assessment flights later today.
In conjunction, 3 Fiji Navy vessels are leaving this evening respectively for the Lomaiviti Group, the Lau Group and for the Northern Region islands, such as Cikobia.
These vessels shall carry emergency relief supplies including food, water, tents and tarpaulins. Assessment teams and Red Cross personnel shall also be on the naval vessels.
On Friday, the Iloilovatu and the Rayawa shall leave respectively for Lau and Lomaiviti groups with more supplies. They will also carry planting material from the Ministry of Agriculture as well as RFMF engineers and public servants who will be deployed to carry out rehabilitation work.
In this respect, apart from providing emergency supplies of food and water, Government shall focus on rehabilitating medical centers and schools that have been damaged.
I want the schools and medical centers operational immediately. In areas where schools and medical centers have been completely damaged or shall require time to rehabilitate the structures, make-shift accommodation shall be provided through large tents.
Apart from the outer islands, relief work and assessment is also being carried out in the affected parts of Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Rabi and Kioa.
The Northern Region and the Lomaiviti and Lau Groups have been declared a Natural Disaster area for the next 30 days. However, wherever within this area the situation becomes normal those zones will be identified and removed from the disaster declared area.
I wish to report that water and electricity is available to almost 100% of those connected to the respective networks. Roads apart from those on the islands are fully accessible.
Those areas within the water and electricity network that have been affected, priority is being given to rehabilitation and restoration of supplies and these works should be completed at the latest by Friday 19 March.
As I have alluded to, the RFMF territorial engineers shall be deployed to commence work on the priority areas of schools, hospitals and medical centers. Other personnel of the RFMF including the Navy shall be deployed to expedite the rehabilitation work.
I wish to thank the governments of Australia, New Zealand and France for their assistance. I understand other countries have shown their willingness to assist in the rehabilitation and relief work, which would be forth coming once detailed assessments have been carried out.
I wish to acknowledge enquires made by various individuals, local and overseas and business houses who wish to contribute to the relief and rehabilitation work. There is the
Prime Minister's Relief and Rehabilitation Fund with
Colonial National Bank/BSP, account number 470 6578 to which you could deposit funds directly into.
My fellow citizens, this hurricane obviously is not the first we have had and as I have said before we live in the tropics and are vulnerable to more in the future.
We, as a nation have shown that we have the resilience, the strength to bounce back from such adverse, such hard times. I wish to acknowledge the discipline and understanding you have shown in our preparations for the cyclone.
We must always be positive; we must always stick together as Fijians, as common citizens of this wonderful country of ours.
We have been blessed in that our main regions and sectors have not been affected by Tomas. We must take advantage of this situation. We must work harder and increase our productivity to position ourselves better for such situations and for the improvement of our livelihoods.
It is in this respect I have, as announced yesterday, decided that the public holiday set aside for the National Youth celebrations shall now be a working day. The celebrations shall take place at date to be announced in due course.
We must all now go back to our normal lives and contribute to building our nation as a strong one.
Vinaka vakalevu
Source : Relief Web 03-17-10
