Boat Provided for Disaster Operations
Levuka, Ovalau, Lomaiviti being a maritime division, transportation is one of the critical enablers for providing services and that is why we have given the PA Lomaiviti’s office a new boat: Inia Seruiratu
The office of the Provincial Administrator Lomaiviti received a major boost that will assist in their work during disaster operations.
The office received a boat worth $25,000 and an outboard engine from the Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Inia Seruiratu at Levuka Public School on Ovalau. Mr Seruiratu said the boat would not only assist the PA’s Office, but all Government agencies based in Levuka, Ovalau.
“Levuka, Ovalau, Lomaiviti being a maritime division, transportation is one of the critical enablers for providing services and that is why we have given the PA Lomaiviti’s office a new boat so it can continue to deliver
Seruiratu said.
“And not only that, most importantly this will help them in reaching out to the people post disasters as well. That is very, very critical so of course this boat will enhance the services,” Mr services provided by the Provincial Administrator’s office.”
The boat and engine were funded by the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) project implemented through the Pacific Community (SPC).
The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Pacific Island countries to address existing and emerging challenges with regard to the risks posed by natural hazards and related disasters, while at the same time maximising synergies between
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The BSRP is a €19.36 million (FJ$47.72m) project supported by the European Union and implemented by SPC. The project directly responds to the African Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) group of states and the European Union’s (EU) priorities identified under the 2009 European Union strategy for Supporting Disaster Risk Reduction. In receiving the donation, PA Lomaiviti, Asesela Biutiviti said the provision of the new boat and engine would enable them to actively monitor and assist those who were affected by any event of natural disaster in the future.
“Our biggest challenge is to reach our areas of responsibility on the islands of Gau, Baitiki, Nairai, Wakaya, Moturiki, Koro and Makogai,” Mr Biutiviti said.
“We are grateful to the BSRP project and SPC for this donation which will assist us in fulfilling our role under the ministry’s Strategic Priority Area 2 which is our role in coordination in an event of natural disaster.”