- Fiji Times

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
40 PAGES
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Hope
for
some
relief
Taniela Sucu and Mateo Taridovu of Vunisaleka in Narere with their children on an unused fishing boat docked on the edge of the river which they can’t fish in. A restriction zone
was established on the Matanikorovatu fishing grounds since December and this has affected the livelihoods of the fishermen.
Picture: JOVESA NAISUA
By DAWN GIBSON and ATASA MOCEITUBA
THE Social Welfare Ministry has confirmed it will be able to provide some relief to families affected by the December 6
sewage spill in Suva. That relief, however,
would not be immediate.
The statement by permanent secretary
Dr Josefa Koroivueta came in the wake of
concerns by people affected by the spill,
of the difficulties they faced more than a
month later.
The main trunk line carrying untreated
waste from parts of Suva to the Kinoya
treatment plant had collapsed following
adverse weather conditions, sending raw
sewage into the Wainivula river.
What do you think?
Dr Koroivueta said the most important
issue was the health impact of the spill,
however, the ministry would be happy to
help families sometime in the future.
Many families affected by the spill claim
they are struggling to make ends meet after the spill closed off most, if not all, of
their income sources.
With schools opening their doors this
week, there are a number of children who
will not be entering a classroom because
of the financial problems their families
face as a result of the sewage spill which
now prohibits fishing in identified waters.
“I think the imminent issue would be
looking at the health impact in those particular areas and we can certainly look at
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the longterm effect when it affects their
livelihoods,” Dr Koroivueta said in an interview.
“So, we’re dealing with families that
may be deprived of their source of income
— from fishing or from other marine-related industries — and certainly they can be
looked at, but not in the imminent future
right now because we don’t class them under any form of poverty because we believe
it’s only a temporary consequence.”
However, he said if families felt strongly
enough about their plight, they could apply to the ministry for some relatively immediate assistance.
“If they felt strongly that they should
pursue it because they basically don’t have
call 3304111 or
any other source of income, then they can
do so. But the criteria for poverty assistance is very rigid because we only target
the poorest of the poor and their families,
and of course the disabled and the disadvantaged.”
Families living within the Vunisaleka
settlement in Laqere, for instance, have
had to make sacrifices to make ends meet,
with a few of them keeping children from
school and trying to grow crops within
their swampy compounds.
Makereta and Paulo Radovu are grandparents to five children, none of whom are
in school.
 Continued on PAGE 3
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