Rural Authority To Be Strict With Building Code
It should also be applied in iTaukei villages, says Peter Drysdale
The destruction of houses in rural areas and villages could have been avoided if the Local Rural Authority had strictly implemented the current Fiji Building Code, an expert says. Model Town Charitable Trust founder Peter Drysdale said if the building code was followed, the damage could have been much less.
“The local rural authority should be strict and implement these building code,” he said. Mr Drysdale said even iTaukei villages should not be exempt from these building code.
“If you exempt these villages you are cursing them.” Mr Drysdale said Koroipita, a development which currently has 231 homes and situated in Naikabula, Lautoka, was built by the trust through New Zealand Aid and it had sustained zero damage during Cyclone Winston. He said this was the robust design and strict building standards adopted by the trust and he was proud of the strength of the homes which had withstood the Category Five storm. “The strength of the homes at Koroipita are equal to or even better than the building standard code. “These standards need to be applied more strictly in rural areas and that is where the problem is. “It has to be done now so that damage could be minimised in the future,” Mr Drysdale said. Meanwhile he said Koroipita presently had a population of 1000 and this would be increased to 1200 after the completion of Stage Three of the development. This would take the total number of houses to 260 with the new development being done over 10 acres and was due to start in July this year.