HONORABLE TIMOCI LESIKIVATUKOULA NATUVA
MINISTER FOR WORKS, TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
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OPENING ADDRESS WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT TRAINING


DE VOS ON THE PARK
SUVA
29TH April 2014
0900 Hours


Water Stakeholders,
Workshop Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen.


Ni sa bula Vinaka and Good Morning to You All.

I am delighted, to be here this morning to address you and participate in this workshop focusing on water supply management plans and related issues.

Let me at the outset, thank the Ministry of Health for the invitation extended to me to open this Training Workshop, so that we can share experiences and ideas on how best to address water supply problems in Fiji. Talking of the water supply problems, I have just been advised by my weather experts and advisors in the Department of Meteorology, that a medium to severe drought is likely to hit Fiji this year, caused by El Nino/Southern Oscillation effect, abbreviated as ENSO.

ENSO is defined as the effect of low level of rainfall experienced during the wet season in any country in the Pacific region. In Fiji, this takes place during the cyclone season from November to April each year.

Given this drought forecast by our weather experts, the understanding and operationalizing of the Water Supply Management Plans as covered under the Government Rural Water and Sanitation Policy, is critically important for Fiji and its people.

Therefore, Workshop such as this one, provides the real opportunity for relevant experts, policy advisors and water stakeholders to discuss and network on key water related issues and problems affecting Fiji and to seek possible solutions where appropriate so that the best way forward to tackling those problems can be mapped out for the benefit of our people in their sustainable development. Hence, the understanding and having the required SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) for this Water Supply Management Plan is essential.

Ladies and Gentlemen, water is a basic necessity of life because people’s sustenance depends on it. People cannot live without water.

Besides, water is also a key driver of Fiji’s economic growth and sustainable development. This is true because water is now a major source of energy and electricity generation in Fiji through the Monasavu and Nadarivatu hydro schemes that collectively contribute to 65 percent of FEA electricity supply in a year. Both hydro schemes collectively contribute 120 MegaWatts (MW) of electricity out of the total country’s peak power demand of 150MW of power in Fiji. Towards this end, electricity is therefore regarded as one of the key drivers of engine of growth of the Fiji economy.

Quite apart from electricity generation, water is also important for Fiji’s agricultural production through the various irrigation schemes to boost agricultural production in the areas of rice, sugarcane, bananas, pawpaw and other crops. Rice Irrigation Schemes like Dreketi in Vanua Levu and Lakena in Nausori are clear testimony to this.

In addition, water is also important commodity for Fiji’s external trade since water is now a direct export item to many countries overseas. Fiji water brand, exported by Fiji Water Company to many overseas countries including USA, is a major revenue earner for the country, earning a total exports revenue of $200million a year.

Given the importance of water to people’s lives, the current Government has promulgated a right to clean and safe drinking water in adequate quantities for the people of Fiji under Section 36 of the new 2013 Fiji Constitution. This is the first time ever, for any Fiji Government to constitutionalize the right of clean, safe drinking water for its people.

In addition, the current Government under Section 35 of the new 2013 Fiji Constitution has also constitutionalized the right of the people of Fiji to adequate sanitation. These two Constitutional requirements have placed Fiji’s human rights agenda on water and sanitation, on international benchmarking that is on comparable footing, with other developed countries around the world.

Also as part of the international benchmark under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Fiji like many other countries around the world is required to reduce by half, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by year 2015. On this front, Fiji is trying its best to achieve this target, come year 2015.

Besides, in terms of basic human right, access to water has already been declared as a universal right by the United Nations. Hence, the right to good clean potable water for our people has been the subject of many discussions in regional and international meetings including this one.

It is therefore within the context of sustainable usage of our finite water resources in Fiji, that the framework of having a Workable Water Supply Management Plan becomes critically important. I believe in this Training Workshop this Water Supply Management Plans and its enabling framework will be fully discussed with relevant stakeholders and participants, so that these Plans can be operationalized and put to productive usage for the benefit of our communities.

Ladies and Gentlemen, though water is a basic necessity for human survival, it is a commodity that is finite and vulnerable to pollution and contamination. Hence, its preservation and protection for human consumption is important consideration for our people.

Hence, water being the most important natural resource on earth for human survival, it must be used sustainably and conserved through sustainable management practices and principles, so that countries do not run out of clean water for their people.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the context of the theme of this Workshop “Clean, Safe Reliable and Affordable Water System”, let me state emphatically here that the challenges that lay ahead for our country and Government to consider in terms of water supply development, construction, storage and distribution are enormous.

Apparently, costs to our Government for these water infrastructures are huge and becomes unbearable for those that can least afford it. These challenges have financial implications for many of our communities, in terms of water development, construction and distribution.

Towards this end, under the 2014 approved budget, Government has provided the Water Authority of Fiji, a total budget of $130million for the construction and distribution of water supply in Fiji. Of this total, $59million is for operational experiences and $71million is for Capital construction and Capital projects costs. For Rural Water and Sanitation Schemes, a budget of $5million is provided. However, in terms of satisfying public demand for water supply infrastructures, this funding is still considered insufficient.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rural Water and Sanitation Policy which you are going to discuss today were borne out of a gap analysis by my Ministry on Governments Achievements to Water and Sewerage Services under that mandate. The rural population was found to be lagging behind in terms of access to clean water and efficient sewerage services. This policy was not developed in isolation, as it came to fruition after widespread consultation with all relevant stakeholders in Fiji.

Also from this gap analysis, it was confirmed that an enabling over-arching water legislation to cover all the issues about water allocations, water tariffs, etc, in Fiji is lacking. To address this problem, my Ministry will also be undertaking review of existing water laws to streamline various stakeholder functions and powers for effective water and sanitation management in Fiji.

In a nutshell, the new legislation should provide all the required legal framework for water supply management in Fiji. It should also provide the platform for co-ordination among agencies and sets the direction of national positions and priorities regarding rural water and sanitation issues. It should also provide the legal framework as well as to set out the Roles and Functions of various agencies that are involved in water system management services in Fiji. In this regard, I therefore urge all relevant stakeholders present here today that are responsible for water management in this country, to learn and share ideas and experiences that can be used to the benefit of our community and its people on effective water and sanitation management.

On that note, I am happy to declare this Training Programme opened.


Vinaka, Dhanyabhad and Thank You.