New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has promised to visit Tamavua-i-Wai Settlement in the future to check on the progress of work carried out by the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environment (RISE Fiji).

She was at the settlement yesterday and acknowledged that climate change presented an immediate threat.

“And we needed to build more resilient communities,” Ms Ardern said.

“This project will use innovative, community-driven nature-based methods to address issues that affect Fijians in informal settlements.”

She commended the work undertaken by RISE Fiji to improve the lives of 3600 Fijians living in 12 informal settlements in the greater Suva area.

Ms Ardern said: “Fijians know first-hand that threats of flooding, particularly this settlement that has endured a lot through the many years.”

She also highlighted the role that Fiji continued to play on the world stage in leading the fight against climate change.

“Fiji is a leader in the world stage right now, you remind other world leaders of the real impacts of the environment you face daily…in fact you already a voice on the world stage and the world knows about it,” Ms Ardern said.

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Community Development, Premila Kumar thanked the New Zealand Government for their continued support and the ability to forge ahead with much needed infrastructural work.

“RISE project complements the Fijian Government’s vision of upgrading informal settlements and supplying safe drinking water and improved sanitation services to every Fijian household,” Ms Kumar said.

“These projects perfectly complement our ongoing housing programmes because it also addresses the critical issue of climate resilience in the most vulnerable areas in our communities.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with the Minister for Housing, Premila Kumar, residents, children and other stakeholders at Tamavua-i-Wai to launch the RISE informal settlement project. Photo: Ronald Kumar

Women leaders luncheon

Ms Ardern has praised the number of women representative in the Fijian Parliament.

While speaking during the Women Leader’s luncheon at the New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr’s residence in Suva, Ms Ardern said: “The Fijian Parliament has the highest number of women representations in the Pacific region, which sits at 20 per cent.

“There is hope and there is progress being made to empower women in the Pacific and all our desire to see progress,” Ms Ardern said.

Ms Ardern said this was a great opportunity for women to talk on issues that affected Fijian people.

This discussion began, when eight women Parliamentarians paid a courtesy visit to her office last year.

Women leaders in the private sector, civil society and Members of Parliament attended the luncheon yesterday.

Edited by Percy Kean

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