Residents of Nabavatu Village fear the new homes for their displaced families will not be ready by the end of the year as promised, raising fresh concerns as the cyclone season approaches.
A villager who has lived in a temporary tent for more than five years, Mereseini Sovi, said progress on the construction of homes at the relocation site in Nadoiviri had been slow and far from complete.
Her comments come despite an assurance by Rural and Maritime Development, Minister Sakiasi Ditoka during the groundbreaking ceremony in March, that the first 10 homes would be ready by July.
Mr Ditoka had said the rest of the 27 households would move to their new homes in December.
“Nabavatu is just the beginning, a herald of hope for other vulnerable communities across our islands,” Mr Ditoka had said.
However, seven months down the road, Ms Sovi said they have yet to see a single completed house.
“Most of the homes, the posts are up, but there’s no roof,” she said.
“For most homes, they have just started with the foundation. We have been living in tents for more than five years.”
Ms Sovi said the condition of the tents had deteriorated over time, with many no longer having proper flooring and leaking during heavy rain.
“For some tents, they have been replaced, while for most, they haven’t. They’ve weathered.
“During heavy rains, there are leaks, and many tents now lie directly on the ground.
“The ones who mostly suffer are the elderly, women, children and those living with disabilities.”
Ms Sovi said the villagers are anxious because the cyclone season is only weeks away.
“Most of us in the village fear this period because we still live in tents.”
Mr Ditoka said the main cause of the delay had been prolonged periods of unfavourable weather, which affected the construction crews on site.
“Due to the unique soil composition in the area, the structural engineers require a specific level of soil moisture before concrete can be poured safely for the foundations,” he said.
He added that this precaution had resulted in unavoidable hold-ups.
