PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has assured Fijians living in Vanuatu that they would be repatriated if there was a need.

He said they had been informed that runway in Port Villa was not workable at the moment.

“Yes, if there is a requirement for that, Fiji Airways will be on standby,” Mr Rabuka said.

“We’ve been told that the runway in Port Villa is not workable, so they may have to be staged from a working runway. I do not know which one is the nearest. There may be two stages, one for the aircraft that can handle the airlines at the airport available and take them to a bigger one where they will be uplifted.

He said there were also plans to send RFMF officers to Vanuatu to assist in rehabilitation works.

“Yes, there are plans in place.

“I think they’ll be spending Christmas there.”