ENVIRONMENT Minister Lynda Tabuya has admitted that some families waiting for climate relocation support have been waiting too long.
She said she understood the frustration of communities still waiting for assistance.
“Absolutely too long. I feel for the families now,” she said.
Ms Tabuya said delays were mainly due to the time required to secure international funding.
“It takes time to secure that funding, simply because of convincing our donors.”
Her comments came in response to questions about whether other communities were waiting to be relocated.
She said relocation projects could not move forward without proper funding and approval processes.
“We have to do our own due diligence first to ensure a community really wants to move.”
She said even after cyclones and flooding, many communities remained tied to their land.
“They’re still tied to their original spot where they are.”
She said relocation was not only about building houses but also about ensuring communities were ready socially and culturally.
