Telecom Helps CycloneAffected Fijians in the North
Telecom Fiji teams have been distributing relief packs consisting of essential household items to 126 families affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa as part of their relief efforts in the Northern Division.
Telecom chief executive officer Charles Goundar said that having done the bulk of restoration and repairs of damaged infrastructure to restore services to the area, they are now focusing on helping those who are in need. “As a 100 per cent Fijian owned company, we believe that we have a responsibility to contribute towards helping Fiji and Fijians whenever we can, especially during these difficult times,” said Mr Goundar.
“Our teams are currently out in the field distributing relief supplies to help families whose lives have been devastated by this disaster so they can begin the process of rebuilding.”
Mr Goundar said that in the early stages, Telecom teams worked to restore services so that essential service providers could carry out their functions as quickly as possible. “Initially we prioritised repair and restoration works, as many essential services and utilities – such as air travel, electricity and water, to name a few – rely on our ICT infrastructure for their operations,” he said.
“This was a massive undertaking, requiring a lot of time and effort since it wasn’t as simple as just fixing a few broken cables.
“Before we could even gain access to our assets for repairs, our teams had to clear fallen trees and debris on access roads and even camped on-site overnight. Despite these challenges, we restored the majority of our services within a couple of days.”
Mr Goundar said that in addition to supplies, Telecom also provided communications relief assistance, offering free on-net calls from remote and maritime areas in the North over its satellite network, and free Wi-Fi via Access Points at Nabouwalu for the general public in the area. “We know how important communication is and we wanted to ensure that those who truly needed to get in touch with others, whether it be to let their family know that they are okay, or to organise assistance, be able to.” Telecom has also been assisting their staff who were affected, with the CEO and other members of senior management visiting Telecom staff in Labasa.
Mr Goundar urged everyone, who is able to, to contribute however they can and help their fellow Fijians.