New Classrooms for 500 Students on Vanuabalavu, Part of $10m Project
PACIFIC BUILDING SOLUTIONS (PBS) WON TENDER FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION WORK FROM NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT
About 500 students on Vanuabalavu, Lau, will be entering their newly-built classrooms when school starts on January 15.
This is part of the Northern Lau Rehabilitation Project. The construction is expected to be completed next month and will provide more space and better school environment for the children of Vanuabalavu.
The $10 million project was funded by the New Zealand government Aid Programme.
Pacific Building Solutions (PBS) won the tender for the reconstruction work on Vanuabalavu from the New Zealand government in September 2016, following a rigorous tender process. According to the PBS public relations co-ordinator, Atelaite Cama, it was in January 2017 that an original team of 36 arrived on the island to set up a camp at the Fiji Roads Authority Depot in Lomaloma for the works to begin.
Ms Cama said by April last year, the PBS workforce on Vanuabalavu had increased to 140 including a team of locally-hired workers.
“The total value of the project is $10 million. This is for the reconstruction buildings damaged and completely destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016. There are 35 structures in Vanuabalavu, including schools and Government service buildings,” she said.
She said a total of six schools on Vanuabalavu were rebuilt and repaired as a result of the NZ AID programme.
The schools include Adi Maopa Secondary School, Adi Maopa Primary School, Mualevu Village School, Daliconi Village School, Cikobia Village School and Mavana District School.
She said just completed was a building with five classrooms at Mavana District School, three teachers quarters, and a kindergarten with washroom facilities. PBS Project Manager Salvin Lal said they began some ground work in Mavana in April last year and the journey to complete these buildings were challenging. “However, we are grateful to the people of Mavana for their act of kindness and hospitality towards us,” Mr Lal said
Ms Cama said Pacific Building Solution has spent close to $250,000 in the local economy for purchasing of local root crops, fish, vegetables and the use of local land and sea transportation.
“Up to 51 locals have been employed throughout the timeframe of the project which is now in its last phase,” Ms Cama added.
Six schools on Vanuabalavu were rebuilt and repaired as a result of the NZ AID programme. The schools include Adi Maopa Secondary School, Adi Maopa Primary School, Mualevu Village School, Daliconi Village School, Cikobia Village School and Mavana District School.