Youths Fund Village Hall From Yaqona Farm

Yaqona farmers, mainly youths, of Qalira Village in Nabukelevu, Kadavu, contribute $1,000 each for the construction of their community hall.

Village spokesman Emani Saumadu said the cost of their new hall was $70,374.

Construction materials were bought from Suva and work had already started.

He said Iowace Ratumailevu, a retired foreman for the Public Works Department, had arrived on the island to do the finishing touch.

The plan for the hall was prepared by the Rural Housing. Mr Saumadu said the new hall was built to withstand a Category 5 tropical cyclone.

“This is our evacuation centre,” he said.

Mr Saumadu added they did not have a proper evacuation centre during cyclones so they stayed in their own homes. The hall had space for the disabled and elderly members of the village.

“It will be a friendly evacuation centre.”

Meanwhile, Mr Saumadu said they had already attended a workshop organised by the National Disaster Management Office on what to do during a cyclone.

Qalira Village is one of the 11 villages of the Nabukelevu District. The other villages are Daviqele, Dagai, Talaulia, Lomati, Nabukelevuira, Nasau, Kabariki, Levuka, Muaninuku and Tabuya.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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