ABC Radio Australia News:Stories:Cyclone damages Fiji dairying
UPDATE
Damage in Fiji's Eastern Division - where authorities say losses from Cyclone Mick were most extensive - has been initially estimated at $US3.6 million. The National Disaster Management Office says the Western Division is next in the damage toll, with an estimate of $2 million. There were 23 primary schools damaged in the Western Division and 16 in the central division.The Fiji Times reports six secondary schools were also damaged .
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2 comments:
Physical damage is one thing: loss of business continuity is another. Mental trauma and suffering due to total loss of possessions and any vestige of living a normal, productive life are yet more. How does one quantify the loss sustained in a Cyclone of such severity? Fiji has suffered worse cyclones: Bebe/Oscar and Nigel for example. One finds it difficult to get around the failure to have in place a Regional Disaster Management and Resource Station which would respond to any such event anywhere in the South Pacific Region. Does the Pacific Forum not have an obligation here? If not......why not? The same failures were on show in Copenhagen? Too many distractions of questionable immediacy? Too many impulses to waste aviation fuel and two weeks of time better used for other purposes than wrangling to no sustainable, enforceable outcome. There MUST be a better way! The Prime Minister opted to stay with the people of Fiji as he did in the January floods. That was without doubt the right option. What other test of leadership can there be? Too many turned backs in the past. These are indelible memories for the people.
Well said, Anon at 10.09. By staying in Fiji, at least Frank didn't extend his carbon footprint like all those other monkeys sprouting platitudes on the environment while piling onto their fossil fuel-burning intercontinental jets for the pointless talkfest hosted by the Danes. It's often said - I think unfairly - that Frank is short of a few tools in his intellectual shed. But you can't fault him on his judgement this time in siding with the people who needed practical help against the elements, not a torrent of meaningless waffle.
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