Kiwis sending relief supplies hope for extension

Fijians in New Zealand, collecting relief supplies for villages devastated by tropical cyclone Yasa, are worried they may miss out on a special duty concession if their shipment arrives late in Fiji.

The Fijian Government placed an exemption on importations and donations of all disaster relief goods on December 16, for 30 days, relieving them of duty charges to benefit Fijians genuinely affected by tropical cyclone Yasa.

The exemption expires on January 15 and there has been no indication from Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) of whether it will be extended.

The NDMO has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond to about the situation.

Cyclone Yasa, a category-five storm, devastated northern parts of Fiji on December 17, including Vanua Levu, Bua and parts of the Lau Group, wreaking havoc on houses, schools and farms.

It left four people dead, including a 3-month-old baby who was killed after a wall collapsed on him and his mother.

In Yasa village, on the island of Kia, only two of 45 houses were left standing.

Saimone Lomaloma, a Wellington businessman who owns Wakanavu Kava and sources products from Fiji, said his container of relief supplies was only 40 per cent full. He’s worried he won’t be able to send it to Fiji before the exemption expires.

Lomaloma has been collecting donations of secondhand building tools, tarpaulins, tents, chilly bins, medical supplies, clothes and non-perishable items.

‘‘If we need to send it in time, we’d have to do so on New Year’s Eve, and even then, there’s been shipping delays so it could get to the Fiji ports late.’’

He has set up a Givealittle fundraising page to help finance the shipment and transport costs of $12,000. ‘‘That’s my primary concern, because all these items are donated, and we genuinely want to help our family and friends back home.’’

If the special duty concession isn’t extended, people like Lomaloma will have to fork out thousands of dollars extra.

American businessman Nilesh Chand said anything they ship will take two weeks or more to reach Fiji.

Different Fijian groups in California have been organising fundraising drives and collecting items to send home, he said.

‘‘There’s been no response to our queries on the duty, or how the supplies will be distributed,’’ Chand said. ‘‘We’re just collecting what we can and hope that these supplies get to those badly affected by the cyclone.’’