Relocation was the best decision: Vunidogoloa Headman
Choosing to relocate from their old village site is the best decision they ever made, says Vunidogoloa Village Headman Penioni Soqovata.
It has been eight years since Vunidogoloa villagers in Cakaudrove relocated and settled into their new homes.
In January 2014, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama had officially opened the 30 homes at the relocation site and Vunidogoloa was said to be the first village in Fiji to relocate due to the effects of climate change.
Mr Soqovata said it was the best decision they made as a village as they fought against coastal flooding, salt-water intrusion and shoreline erosion.
The actual relocation work started in 2010 when the Government provided funding worth $310,000 for the project, a new site, covering five acres of land donated to the village by the mataqali Nadawa without any cost.
Mr Soqovata said one of the advantages of relocation was that each family had their own house which meant a decrease in overcrowding and more people chose to remain than migrate to urban areas.
OLD SITE
Now and then villagers would visit the old site that was more than two kilometres away from their village.
Mr Soqovata said whenever they went fishing they noticed the seawater level at the old site continued to increase, affecting trees that were once planted by their ancestors.
Comparing the population back at the old site, he said the population then was around 137 with about two to three families living in one house.
He said now there are 32 houses with a population of 175 people.
“Since then, the numbers haven’t decreased which means not only has the Government successfully saved us from climate change hazards but improved our living standard.”
He said their culture was such that they valued family ties and wouldn’t say no to anyone seeking a place to stay.
REQUEST FOR MONITORING
Relocating communities involved much more than simply rebuilding
houses in a safer location.
It involved providing the right conditions for people to rebuild the lives they knew, such as reasonable access to resources and services, social capital and community infrastructure.
Mr Soqovata highlighted the need for monitoring by the Government during a recent policy advocacy workshop in Savusavu before Divisional Planning Officer Northern Setareki Dakuiboca.
“We are thankful to the Government for the rescue from climate change, but we request you to begin with monitoring,” he said.
“We urgently need a proper drain and road so that students don’t struggle to go to school.”
He said some public service providers refused to go to the village because of a creek they had to cross.
He revealed there were few occasions where expecting mothers delivered babies along their way to Savusavu sub-divisional Hospital.
He further said there were some houses built beside the road and during the dry season they could not leave windows open and clothes hanging on the line because of dust. He requested that the road be tar sealed.
RESPONSE FROM GOVERNMENT
Mr Dakuiboca said some issues did not have immediate solutions. He further explained that development matters took time.
“Government has plans to tar seal roads in front of the villages and schools in the next five to ten years,” he said.
“So, we require patience and dialogue from our communities so that we can work together.”
He said the Government’s intention was not to leave any Fijian behind.