The Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Major-General (MAJGEN), Tim Gall, arrived into the country yesterday and is here to meet with local officials including Minister for Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu and RFMF Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto.

“We will be here as long as long as the Fijian Government would like us to stay and what they like us to do,” MAJGEN Gall told members of the media in Suva yesterday.

“The New Zealand Defence Forces (NZDF) humanitarian aid operation in Fiji is one of its largest peacetime deployments to the Pacific,”he said.

He also commended the resilience of the Fijian people and also acknowledged the National Disaster Management Office for their work.

Close to 500 combat engineers, soldiers, sailors and aircrew, two ships and six aircraft including two multi-role helicopters have been deployed to Fiji since February 21 to support relief and recovery work after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

l               Multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury – anchored off Lomaloma in Vanuabalavu, Lau.

l               HMNZS Wellington – Operating in Northern Lau

l               Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters & Canterbury’s Seasprite helicopter – Delivering aid supplies, transporting civilian medical volunteers from NZ and NDMO office from Vanuabalavu to nearby islands in the northern Lau.

Meanwhile 50 New Zealand line mechanics will arrive into the country this weekend to assist the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA).

This was revealed by New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Mark Ramsden during a media briefing in Suva yesterday.

“We received a request from the Fijian Government to work with FEA to help restore electricity; FEA has done a marvellous job in restoring power in the main centres but there is a huge amount of work left to be done, especially on the Northern side of Viti Levu,”Mr Ramsden said.

He said the engineering team had been working with the RFMF engineering team in fixing schools and houses. Edited by Manasa Kalouniviti

litia.cava@fijisun.com.fj