Embassy team inspects school damage
Officials of the US Embassy in Suva have begun assessments on the Koa Moana Project at Saint John’s College at Cawaci on Ovalau, Lomaiviti. The assessment involves surveying damage caused to the school in the wake of tropical cyclones Josie and Keni. The project was part of the deployment of US Marines and sailors with Task Force Koa Moana in the Asia-Pacific region. From July 1 to August 1, 2016, the team conducted training with the Seabees from US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 and engineers with the Republic of Fiji Military Force.
They built a one-room building and repaired the roof on the nineroom building during that time. US Embassy Defence Attaché Commander Constantine Panayiotou said as part of the project, it took the team two weeks to build the one-room building in 2016.
He said the contractors repairing the school asked for physical help and assistance in repairing the roof on the nine-room building, which they offered.
“They asked us for help, but it was not the scope of our project,” he said.
However, during Tropical Cyclone Keni the same rooftops were blown away, which affected more than 200 students.
“Our goal now is to have the US Navy, engineers or army to come work with RFMF engineers to repair these roofs and make it stronger, so the kids could use these classrooms.”
Commander Panayiotou said the visit yesterday was not only to see the building, but their main priority there was to meet the students that would be benefiting from the assistance itself.
“The building is just a tool, I wanted to meet face-to-face with the children who would benefit from it. The connection that we really want to make is with the students,” he said. “The kids are compressed with the space they have here. They had to give up their cafeteria, woodshops for classrooms.
“Staff are now meeting in the library, so the kids are really displaced a little. We want to get this plan put in place as quickly as possible to get them back in the classrooms so that they can have a good learning environment.” Commander Panayiotou added the visit was also to look at technical aspects of the project.
Joining the assessment team were RFMF’s Captain Kelepi Tuiloma and engineer Corporal Jone Drauna.
“They are going to write up their assessment report next week and we will get our engineer as well and check out the funding,” Commander Panayiotou said.