Fiji's Red Cross says the country's rebuild is being hindered by problems accessing building supplies.
The category five Cyclone Winston caused widespread devastation when it swept through much of the country six months ago.
The director general of the Fiji Red Cross, Filipe Nainoca, says food and water security has largely been restored, but thousands of people are still living in tents.
He told Jamie Tahana accessing building materials has been a challenge that has slowed the rebuild.
A damaged building on Koro Island in Fiji after Cyclone Winston.
Photo: Fiji Government
Transcript
FILLIPE NAINOCA: People are still recovering they are pretty resilient they are in Fiji. there has been concerted effort to build new shelters for those who need shelters and there have been many organisations including Red Cross that are helping to build these new shelters for people. That is still the primary challenge here at the moment is the building of appropriate shelter and homes. Most of them still are living in tents they are slowly getting their buildings up.
JAMIE TAHANA: When we say most people are still living in tents how many people roughly are still living in tents six months on from the cyclone?
FN: All I can say is that at this stage there is about 80 percent of them are still in tents because one of the biggest challenges that we are facing here is getting the materials to build the new homes. Government has assisted different families in providing the opportunity for them to purchase building materials but accessing the building materials is a challenge because there is so many trying to access the materials. So it is slowly starting to come good now.
JT: Yeah so the building has been slow because accessing the resources has been a struggle?
FN: That is true that is correct, accessing building materials and more and more we are looking to access from outside the country and I believe that supplies, people are sourcing materials from New Zealand so for us to be able to access them here and build.
JT: It would be expensive to get building materials from Australia and New Zealand wouldnt it? Is something being done to offset that cost for the people?
FN: Well actually if it comes in volume it is not that much more expensive. Government assists where it can, but we are at the moment sourcing our materials locally but we know of our partners in other shelter partners such as handicapped for humanity who are getting their materials from New Zealand and I believe also hardware shops accessing materials from New Zealand.
JT: Okay so still a challenge with housing but in terms of water food and stuff returning to normality.
FN: Yes things are returning to normality. As I said straight after TC Winston there is a lot of planting, a lot of people getting to the field. And I guess as I said earlier the challenges remain in terms of water and sanitation. But we are working hard with that and the community is helping us in that regard and the key challenges of course is in shelter.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.
