Cyclone Tomas: Briefing with NEOC Partners

Briefing with NEOC International Partners

Ministry of Information

Mar 16 |10:25 am

On Monday 15th March, the NEOC held an informal briefing with its international donor partners. Discussion centred around contingency plans for Tropical Cyclone Tomas.

Source: Mr Anthony Blake - National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).

The session with international partners involved the United Nations, the Fiji Red Cross, and representatives of the following foreign development agencies: United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The idea was to give our international partners a brief picture of where the operation situation is and the likely needs that may arise. From that, they have and [will continue to advise] us on the form of assistance that would be available.

Likely needs - in most disaster situations they are generic such as water tanks, water containers, purification tablets, vector control in terms of health, logistics, aerial surveys, among others.

Our international partners have responded very positively. Australia and New Zealand have indicated that they're offering their assistance to the people of Fiji. The same goes for the United Nations - they have some prepositioned stock in Fiji that can be deployed in the event that there is a need.

In the past, Australia and New Zealand have provided assistance in terms of logistics especially for DISMAC; water tanks, water containers. The UN has assisted us with water containers as well as assistance in terms of health and sanitation.

All these partners have assisted the Fiji Red Cross directly. The Red Cross is part of DISMAC. It is taken as part of the Government machinery. When people see the Red Cross out there, they should not take it as Red Cross as one and Government as another.

Red Cross is an auxiliary to the disaster management structure in Fiji. The whole purpose is that the Red Cross is tasked with the immediate intervention, in terms of non-food items, so that people do have assistance immediately after the disaster.

So far we have had a good relationship with our international partners and we hope this will continue.

ENDS

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