Govt to have better funding for TC Winiston rehabilitation program

The government will now have better accessibility and funding in their rehabilitation program to rebuild damaged schools and homes after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

This has been announced by the Attorney‑General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the signing of a $100US million loan agreement with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Sayed-Khaiyum has also encouraged construction companies to come forward and put in their tenders for the works.

Sayed-Khaiyum met with Mona Sur, World Bank Acting Country Director for Papua New Guinea, Timor‑Leste and the Pacific Islands and Robert Jauncey, Asian Development Bank Regional Director for the Pacific, in his office earlier today for the signing ceremony.

Jauncey says the schools will be built back better to achieve a safe, clean learning environment for students.

Category 5 Cyclone Winston was the strongest cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, killing 44 people and leaving a trail of destruction across large parts of Fiji.

The total damage and losses resulting from Cyclone Winston are estimated at US$1.38 billion, including US$959 million in damage and losses to Fiji’s productive, social and infrastructure sectors.

Nearly 130,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, affecting approximately 15 percent of Fiji’s total population.

The loan was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on June 30th in Washington D.C.