Rebuilding Fiji – unsung heroes extend a helping hand

MORE than 100 inmates have been assigned to clean up schools and other areas around the country.

The Fiji Corrections Service has also released about 100 officers for similar duties at various schools along the Tailevu coast and other areas in the Central and Western divisions.
FCS Acting Commissioner Kameli Ratuvakalevulevu said the release of officers and inmates was based on requests by the National Disaster Management Office.
“Right now we have 40 inmates working at QVS, 20 at St Vincent College, 20 at RKS and 20 at Tailevu North. We have deployed officers to Burewai Primary School, Navunisea Primary School and Dawasamu district and secondary schools,” he said.
Accompanying the inmates are supervising officers who are monitoring and also actively involved with the task at hand.
Mr Ratuvakalevulevu said teams of officers and inmates were also assigned to affected areas in the Northern Division.
Principals of the schools along the Tailevu coast expressed their gratitude for the assistance and support of the Fiji Corrections Service.
“I thought we would have to do it alone but we were surprised when the officers and inmates arrived to help. They worked so quickly and thoroughly and we are all impressed at how fast they’ve managed to clean the classrooms and clear the debris from the school compound,” said St Vincent College principal Tokasa Wilson, as tears welled in her eyes.
While the inmates are transported to the various sites on a daily basis, teams of corrections officers stationed at schools further up the Tailevu coast will remain deployed for the duration of the clean-up.
ENDS