Villagers and community members in the province of Lau have commended the Government’s initiative, Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH), for extending its integrated mobile service delivery outreach to the islands in the Lau group.
This was after a team of Government officials from 11 Government and one Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) jointly embarked on a 21 days trip with the intention to reach the most remote, providing integrated socio-economic and legal quality service delivery and not leaving any one behind.
The outreach began in the villages on all the islands of Yasayasa Moala before sailing up to cover Ono-i-Lau, Vatoa, Fulaga and Ogea.
REACH also expanded its coverage to the islands in the district of Kabara including Namuka and Komo before ending its second week of operation in the island of Moce.
The final days of operation were conducted in the islands of Oneata, Vanuavatu and Nayau.
Villagers on the islands welcomed the coordinated service delivery as they had the opportunity to interact face to face with the different agencies on legal advice, price control, farming best practices and birth and business registrations, clarify issues on land and chiefly titles that has been long overdue, repairing and electrifying solarized villagers, law enforcement awareness, women and health screening including dental services, FEMIS education to the school management, and issuing of social protection vouchers for social welfare recipients.
Mr. Jone Waigaga of Muana-i-cake Village of Fulaga Island, thanked the Fijian Government for the initiative such as REACH because it gave them access to essential services right in their villages.
“We must acknowledge the Government for always having the desire to reach out to us irrespective of our geographical difficulties.”
He added that it is not easy for officials to make sacrifices and serve in the remote islands but it’s these kind of commitment and sacrifices to the people that gives confidence to the people on the islands of Lau.
“I know it’s not easy for the officials to leave their families behind, making sacrifices to journey through rough seas but we are so relieved that their commitment to encounter all these difficulties as it gives us a sense of confidence that we are being cared for by the Government.”
Senior Assistant Roko Tui from the Lau Provincial Council Mr. Panapasa Raceva emphasized that the difficulties faced by the people of Lau from one island to another were similar such as the exorbitant travelling costs, travelling during draconian conditions, the unavailability of shipping services and the absence of essential services on the islands.
“Most situations people have to meet exorbitant costs in order to travel from Lau to Vitilevu and if they are travelling to enquire or seek assistance in Suva, they still have to pay. Even travelling around Lau takes days and if there’s difficult weather conditions on the day of travelling, the people’s lives too are at risks”.
“I am deeply thankful to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation for coordinating such a mobile service delivery as REACH. The people on the islands are pleased with the Government’s effort, it has turned their difficulties into promising opportunities, people don’t have to travel very far to get their needs met and they don’t need to bear any cost.”
Mr. Raceva also stressed that the people’s engagement with the officials brought them hope and the noble initiative such as REACH is the right direction for all the people who are geographically and physically disadvantaged.
“Engaging with the officials brings hope to the community leaders and this demonstrates a clear and right direction for the Fijian Government in providing a fair approach to reaching those who are physically and geographically disadvantaged.”
The Lau tour was funded by the UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.