Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Inia Seruiratu is in the North this week to meet with members of the District Advisory Councils in the provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata.
Hon. Seruiratu, who is accompanied by his two Assistant Ministers Hon. Jale Sigarara and Hon. Vijay Nath were at Somosomo, Taveuni, yesterday where they met with DAC members serving in communities there.
While addressing the DAC members at the opening of the meeting, Hon. Seruiratu conveyed Government’s acknowledgements for the commitment and dedication showed by DAC members through their service to the communities on Taveuni.
“Again this is a normal task, although you get allowances to assist you to some extent, but thank you indeed for volunteering to be an extension of the arm of the Government machinery to address the needs in our communities,” he said.
Minister Seruiratu also apologised to the DAC members if their expectations were not met by Government.
He told the DAC members that as the need to adapt to the new norm gradually increases, there was also a need to adopt new strategies and innovative solutions because the frequency and the intensity of climate induced disasters will continue.
“While still on disasters, I have been particularly disturbed by the level of damages particularly in dwellings, homes. I have been consistently talking about the need for us to invest in our homes and that is the message that we need to take to our communities,” Hon. Seruiratu said.
“What the cyclone has been doing all these years, it comes to one solution – we need to invest in our homes. If we want to take our families out of the poverty loop that is the first thing we need to do.”
Hon. Seruiratu also urged the DAC members to help fight the spread of misinformation against Fiji’s COVID-19 vaccination programme in their communities.
“While still on the COVID-19 pandemic, I have urged all your counterparts in the Central Division and now here in Taveuni, as part of the recovery and return to normalcy, that people need be vaccinated.”
“Just like measles, and all other infectious diseases that have come Fiji’s way, this is not an exception and we are kindly inviting all of you to urge your community members to be vaccinated.”
“There’s a lot of misinformation going around on social media that has created fear in the people and I think for all of us, it’s important to be vaccinated.”