FIJISUN
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fiji news
September-2015
7
Fiji: airport closure highlights need for resilient infrastructure Nadi, Fiji – When floods closed Fiji’s main international airport for the only time in its history, economic shockwaves rippled through the tourismdependent country. Nadi airport, built in the 1940s, is Fiji’s gateway to and from the world and when Cyclone Evan forced it to suspend flights in 2012 the tourism industry as well as many other sectors took a big knock. Ms. Molly Murphy, Senior Risk Manager at Airports Fiji Limited, said the experience revealed how much of an economic lifeline the airport was and how its reliability was crucial to the country’s international reputation. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted this year by the international community, has curbing
disaster damage to critical infrastructure as one of its seven targets to strengthen sustainable development. The Cyclone Evan disaster prompted Airports Fiji Limited to revisit its already extensive business continuity and contingency plans. Nothing was left unquestioned: Is there enough water on site? Are the current partnerships with the transport and tourism authorities good enough? Does the emergency airspace transfer agreement with New Zealand need updating? One of the main findings was the importance of maintaining clear drainage systems on and off site to prevent another closure after future cyclones. “There are three main elements that underpin our approach to risk manage-
LANDS PERMANENT SECRETARY APPOINTED DIRECTOR-GENERAL CIRDAP The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) and Fiji’s Minister for Agriculture, Rural & Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Hon. Inia Seruiratu has announced the appointment of, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources Mr Tevita Boseiwaqa as the new Director-General CIRDAP with effect from July
2016. Mr Boseiwaqa will be responsible for the implementation of the Governing Council decisions and the administrative running of CIRDAP. He will be also responsible for the overall strategy and increase partnerships for CIRDAPs engagement with existing and new partners. Minister Seruiratu said Boseiwaqa brings valuable know-how to the organization and will be an asset to the decision making body of CIRDAP.
ment. First, have the right structure, the right people and the right reporting lines. Second, back this up with the right technology, up to date equipment and know-how. Third, systemize the collection of your data and use it to reveal trends and inform your decision making,” said Ms. Murphy. “The Executive Chairman of our company
(Mr. Faiz Khan) has really encouraged staff to embrace a culture of safety in everything we do. We now have ownership of hazard risk by frontline personnel. This enables us to continually review risk and change the allocation of resources to manage that risk.” Ms. Murphy was speaking at a two-day ‘Make Your Business Disaster
Resilient’ workshop in Nadi. The forum steered 32 managers through a step-by-step review of their current approaches to disaster and climate risk management identifying strengths and gaps. The managers came from a cross-section of the Fiji economy, including the Port Authority, various manufacturers, transport and logistics, tourism, banking, insurance and the Government’s taxation department. Cyclone Evan caused US$40 million in direct economic costs. Indirect losses, such as business closures, reduced tourist numbers and job losses, are estimated to have been considerably higher. The cyclone affected 750,000 people, almost Fiji’s entire population. The strengthening of
Fiji’s infrastructure has emerged as a priority of government policy. “We have invested heavily to improve our infrastructure – ports, highways, communications, airports and hospitals,” Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said in a recent interview with the Fiji Sun. The ‘Make Your Business Disaster Resilient’ workshop was convened by the Fiji Employers and Commerce Association and facilitated by UNISDR’s Global Education and Training Institute, which is based in Incheon, Republic of Korea. It is part of UNISDR’s increased engagement with the private sector, which is identified as a key partner in the implementation of the 15-year Sendai Framework
CENSUS AND SURVEY TRAINING FOR AGRICULTURE STAFF The Census and Survey Processing System (CS Pro) Training was conducted for staff of Ministry of Agriculture yesterday at the Salvation Army office as part of continued efforts to enhance data collection and data keeping within the Ministry. CS Pro is a software package developed by the US Bureau of Census for entry, editing, tabulation and dissemination of Census and Survey Data. The Census and Survey Data processed on the same software and platform ensures great compatibility between data sources where data could be easily shared, extracted and accessed between organisation and Data users. Opening the training, Acting Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Uraia Waibuta said this is an opportune time for learning as the Ministry beginning with the Statistics team will be using the CSO program. “I want to show the level
of commitment from the Ministry on this level of exercise, it is so important for us, we know where we are, where we were and we know some of the weaknesses in regards to data in the Ministry of Agriculture. This particular training is part of the Ministry’s intention of achieving its long term goals on data collation and updating. We know how rich in data agriculture is and we have a lot of data scattered in province, districts and the most in
Divisions that is not stored and shared well. This workshop will surely build staff capacity for data processing to ensure good quality data is captured and disseminated as well as to assist in proper planning for the Ministry’s Public Sector Investor Programmes (PSIP),” Mr Waibuta said. He said the Ministry looks forward to using this software package as it will not only collect data for the number of farmers, number of crop planted or live-
stock in Fiji but it will also be a means to quickly search information on the number of equipment the Ministry has, the number of vehicles and even finding relevant information on staff performance.Mr Waibuta acknowledged the efforts by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the European Union through the Pacific Agriculture Policy Program (PAPP) for providing support for this training. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also been an ardent supporter of improving statistics within the Ministry. Apart from representatives from various divisions of the Ministry of Agriculture, two staff from the Ministry of Rural ad Maritime Development and two Statistics staff from the Federated States of Micronesia also participated in the training. The training would be conducted for the next two weeks and is being facilitated by resource personnel from SPC Mr Toga Raikoti.
HIGH COMMISSIONER TELENI PRESENTS CREDENTIAL IN VANUATU Fijian High Commissioner to PNG and non-resident High Commissioner to Vanuatu Esala Teleni today presented his credentials to the President of Vanuatu His Excellency Womtelo Rev. Baldwin Londsdale. High Commissioner Teleni commended the steadfastness, calmness, solidarity and spirit of confidence displayed by Vanuatu and its people during and after cyclone Pam. He said that Fiji and Vanuatu share many things in common such as
our geographical location, our sea rights, our land, our people and our histories. "We also have long standing diplomatic ties and cooperation on bilateral and through existing multi-lateral and regional mechanism," he said. He thanked the Vanuatu Government for its understanding and support during Fiji’s transition to democratic rule. High Commissioner Teleni is looking forward to some good and constructive years during his term.
His Excellency Rev Londsale thanked the
Fijian Government for the support and assistance
rendered to the people of Vanuatu. He said the relations between the two countries dated far back when people from Vanuatu were taken to work in Fiji’s sugar cane plantations as well as those Vanuatu nationals who attended schools in Fiji. He also discussed regional peace and security and believed that as a region we needed to provide a united front to bring security issues to the attention of global powers. President Rev Londsale also acknowl-
edged the assistance offered by Fiji after Cyclone Pam. He commended the sacrifices by the Fijian soldiers who assisted in rehabilitation work and said that their work did not go unnoticed by the people and the government of Vanuatu. High Commissioner Teleni later reviewed a guard of honour.He was accompanied by Fiji’s Honorary Consul in Vanuatu Mr Charles Valentine and Second Secretary Mr Vilikesa Naivalucava.