The Provincial Administrator (PA) Lau, Eliki Masa said a team of government officials were touring islands in the Lau Group to deliver materials for Government approved assistance in the first and second quarter.
“This included building materials, fibre glass boats, school equipment, hospital equipment and many other government assistance by the Commissioner Eastern’s office and the Prime Minister’s Office,” Mr Masa said.
The current Lau tour will cover Lakeba, Vanua Balavu, Cicia, Nayau, Oneata, Komo, Namuka, Moce, Kabara and Ono.
Mr Masa said the second reason for the trip was to enable government officers to inspect the various government developments being carried out on these islands.
“This will also enable us to do acquittals on completed projects as required through all government projects,” he said.
“The third aim of the trip is for officials to check on loopholes on development, which some of the projects may be facing.
“Since we do not frequent these islands, we try and make such trips as fruitful as possible and attend to all their queries and also note their development forecast for 2013.”
Mr Masa said all development forecast for 2013 would have to go through the Lau Provincial Council before it was passed on to the Provincial Development Board before it would be given to the Ministry of Planning so funds could be allocated in the 2013 Budget.
He said there were many government developments done in the Lau province from 2006 to date. These include construction of wharfs, airstrips, roads, shipping franchise, education, social welfare and many others.
“For example, a nursing quarters was built in Cicia Island and Totoya with a cost of $76,000 each. The ball is in the Ministry of Health’s court now to send nurses to occupy these quarters,” he said.
Government also assisted in supplying modern hospital equipment to Vanua Balavu and Lakeba.
“This also included the renovation works carried out on all nursing stations in the Lau group of islands,” he said.
He also commended the assistance offered by the Prime Minister’s Office following the recent tour of Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama to the islands.
“The office assisted in the construction of pre-school buildings in Mualevu and Mavana in Vanua Balavu, Adi Maopa Primary School in Lakeba, Yaroi in Matuku, Namuka and Moce islands. One pre-school set up costs $80, 000,” Mr Masa said.
“The assistance from the Prime Minister’s Office also include the complete renovation of the Ratu Mara College vocational and the Ratu Finau Primary in Lakeba.
“Last year, the Prime Minister’s Office spent close to $200,000 on the island in the Lau group.”
The developments carried out in rural Fiji is in line with Pillars 4, 7, 8,9 and 10 respectively, which is enhancing public sector efficiency and delivery, developing an integrated structure at Provincial level, reducing poverty, making Fiji a knowledgeable society and improving health service.
The recent government trip to islands in the Lau Group departed Suva on Sunday, June 3 and they are expected back on June 13.