UN Resident Coordinator praises the resilience of the people of Lau

UN Resident Coordinator in Fiji Sanaka Samarasinha says villagers of Lau have shown resilience after Tropical Cyclone Harold hit them earlier this year which shows that the more remote they are the more resilient they have become.

Samarasinha was part of the United Nations, Fijian government and Partners Joint Mission to Lau, which was a five day tour organized after the last joint tour to Kadavu by the UN.

Kadavu and Lau were the two islands which was hit hard by TC Harold.

Samarasinha hopes that whatever assistance that they have received, does not take away what the communities already have, which is their resilience.

During the Lau joint mission, there were also talanoa sessions in Moala, Totoya, Matuku, Vatoa and Ono-i-Lau with the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development, Inia Seruiratu and the Minister for Health, Ifereimi Waqainabete, the UN Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha and the other UN and government delegation where they had discussions with villagers on ways of improving government services and recovery work.

Seruiratu says it was good to see that the communities that they had visited in Lau were very quick in getting back on their feet.

Some of the villages also received Cash Assistance Vouchers and power tools to assist them in rebuilding their homes which was damaged by TC Harold.

There was also a team of surgeons who conducted minor surgeries in all the villages that was visited by the team.