Clean up extends to villages, communities

MORE than 250 officers of the Fiji Corrections Service and inmates remain deployed to various schools around the country as the task of cleaning up progresses.

And the focus of the clean up has now extended to villages severely affected by TC Winston, with Qelekuro Village in Tailevu receiving the first deployment today.

Of the number deployed, 101 officers and 39 inmates are camping at schools on Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Taveuni while remaining teams are transported to the sites on a daily basis.

Schools at which FCS teams are located are Ra High School, Nakauvadra High School, Rakiraki Penang Sangam, Namosau Mission School, Kubulau District School, Nasau Primary School, South Taveuni primary and secondary schools, Navakawau Catholic School and St John’s College, Cawaci and Delana Methodist High School in Levuka.

So far, the FCS has successfully completed its task of cleaning up Bureiwai Primary School, Vunisei Primary School, Dawasamu Secondary School, Tailevu North High School, St Vincent College, RKS, QVS and Rakiraki District School.

Teams were also assigned to clean the Penang Mill in Rakiraki, Ra maternity unit and other identified areas.

Corrections acting Commissioner Kameli Ratuvakalevulevu recently returned from an extensive tour of schools in the Northern Division and extended words of encouragement and gratitude to the teams on the ground.

Addressing the teams in Fijian, Mr Ratuvakalevulevu thanked them for the sacrifice they were making to help rebuild Fiji in the aftermath of the cyclone.

“Au vakavinavinaka tiko vei kemudou kece, o ira na ovisa kei na inmates, ena nomudou mai qarava tiko nai tavi eda mai kacivi kina. E dina ni dou moce vakaca, kana vakaca io sa mai toso tiko vakavinaka na sasamaki ena vei koronivuli. Era marautaka vakalevu o ira na qasenivuli liu kei ira na liuliu ni vei tikina ena kena toso totolo na sasamaki kei na veivuke ni FCS (I thank you all, officers and inmates, for your efforts in carrying out the task we’ve been assigned to do. You might not be sleeping in comfort or getting the best meals but the cleaning up at schools has progressed very well. The principals and provincial leaders are very pleased with the quick progress of the clean up and the assistance of the FCS),” he said.

A team of officers is expected to commence cleaning at Salialevu Primary School in Taveuni next week and preparations are also underway to send a team to Malake Island.

The FCS will also beef up manpower to Levuka to aid in the swift completion of the clean-up.