The office of the Provincial Administrator Lomaiviti received a major boost yesterday that will assist them in their work during any future disaster operation.
This follows the assistance of a boat worth $25,000 and an outboard engine from the Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Hon. Inia Seruiratu at Levuka Public School.
Minister Seruiratu said the boat will assist both the PA’s Office and the other Government agencies based in Levuka, Ovalau.
“Transportation is one of the critical enablers for providing services and that is why we have given the PA Lomaiviti’s office a new boat so they can continue to deliver services,” Hon.Seruiratu said.
“Most importantly this will help them in reaching out to the people post disasters as well. That is critical, this boat will enhance the services provided by the Provincial Administrator’s Office.”
The boat and engine were funded by the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific Project implemented through the Pacific Community (SPC).
The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Pacific Island countries to address existing and emerging challenges with regards to the risks posed by natural hazards and related disasters, while at the same time maximising synergies between Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA).
The BSRP is a €19.36 million project supported by the European Union and implemented by SPC. The project directly responds to the African Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) group of states and the European Union’s (EU) priorities identified under the 2009 European Union strategy for Supporting Disaster Risk Reduction.
In receiving the donation, PA Lomaiviti Mr. Asesela Biutiviti said the provision of the new boat and engine would enable them to actively monitor and assist those who were affected by any event of natural disaster in the future.
“Our biggest challenge is to reach our areas of responsibility on the islands of Gau, Baitiki, Nairai, Wakaya, Moturiki, Koro and Makogai,” Mr Biutiviti said.
“We are grateful to the BSRP project and SPC for this donation which will assist us in fulfilling our role under the Ministry’s Strategic Priority Area 2 which is our role in coordination in an event of a natural disaster.”