Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu said that people who are living in tents after Tropical Cyclone Winston have been given chainsaws by the Ministry of Forests to cut and use the fallen trees for reconstruction of houses.
Seruiratu said he knows that a lot of people have their own native timber within the Mataqali land.
The Minister also assured people that the building code and standards will be followed when the new houses are built.
The Minister also stressed that he cannot give a time frame regarding the completion of rehabilitation and reconstruction work as it is a long term process.
He also added that the final Post Disaster Needs Assessment report by the World Bank and other leading agencies such as the UN is expected to be finalised by the end of this week.
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