Two years after Tropical Cyclone Ana shook the foundation of their village and forced them out of their homes, hundreds of people of Nabavatu in Dreketi, Macuata took to the polls yesterday.
On their minds was the need to relocate to a new place.
They are still living in a tent community at the mercy of the Savadrua Assemblies of God Church in Dreketi.
Yesterday, they vowed to vote for a government that would finally give them a new home and a peace of mind. Men, women and children have been living in tents since and they’ve had their share of struggles for far too long.
“Now we have an opportunity to help ourselves by choosing leaders that would help us,” village headman Viliame Naibono, 41, said.
“My people have suffered for two long years. Our women and children need to live in decent homes. They need a better life.”
Laisani Matiyavi, 72, said she looked forward to having a government that was decisive and could relocate them as soon as possible.
“We’ve heard about relocating to a piece of land nearby but that wait has taken two years.
“We need to move on and we need to move now.”
Marica Maluguca, 62, said the women of the village had suffered the most over the past two years.
“We cook, we clean the house and wash the clothes and dishes. We cannot do our household chores well in this tent community,” Ms Maluguca said.
“We get water supply for only one hour in the morning and another hour at night. That’s just not enough for everyone.
“We demand to have our own space. That is why we need to relocate. We are tired of living here.”
Government had said previously that the biggest issue in Nabavatu was there was no suitable land to relocate the villagers to.
“PM Bainimarama came to us after the cyclone. He told us we were going to relocate in three months. It’s been two years and he has never returned to see us,” Mr Naibono said.
“While I told villagers they were free to make their own choices, however, I advised them to choose wisely and think about their future and what they needed the most.”
Mr Naibono said everyone was tired of living in a tent community and looked forward to their new home opposite Maramarua Primary School in Dreketi.
The village population stands at 262.
