EARLY PREPARATION CRITICAL, SAYS SERUIRATU

04/11/2020

With one to three tropical cyclones predicted to cross Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone during the 2020/2021 cyclone season, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Inia Seruiratu has again urged Fijians to prepare early.
 
Minister Seruiratu said with the cyclone season an annual forecasted event, it was vital that Fijians ensure they were prepared accordingly.
 
“The 2020/2021 seasonal forecast has already been released. For us at the Ministry for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, particularly through the Office of the Director National Disaster Management, the key message to all Fijians is for us to start preparing - prepare early so we can minimise damages if we do go through a cyclone again,” Hon. Seruiratu said.
 
“Preparation is very, very critical. It is important, particularly for us given the seasonal forecast that has already been released, we hope that every level of community will start preparing accordingly.”
 
“And of course we also need to start the cooperation and discussion between the agencies and service providers so that we can prepare before we go through the season.”
 
He said the Ministry was also looking at its state-of-readiness internally.
 
“And of course after that we will also start looking at all the key service providers and key stakeholders as well. We intend to do our operational readiness check.”
 
“It is important for us to understand our state of readiness before we go into the season so that we can identify critical areas that needs to be addressed, who is going to take responsibility and what resources are needed if those areas or critical issues needs to be addressed. That is the key preparation that we are undertaking.”