ReliefWeb

The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management has been diligently preparing its facilities and mobilising its resources for the impending 2021-2022 Cyclone Season.

Part of these preparatory works was the total renovation and improvements in the current warehousing assets and processes maintained at the Walu Bay based yard.

Through a partnership between the Ministry and the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Ministry’s warehouse facilities underwent a grand refurbishment at a cost of more than $90,000.

In addition to this was the strengthening of Security Services at the yard with the completion of a newly refurbished guard house and the impending installation of CCTV and security services which is a total government investment of $42,000. The commissioning of the guard house project was officiated by the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Hon. Inia Seruiratu last Friday.

“We are also in the process of improving our warehouse management processes to ensure transparent and efficient processes in the management of stores and donated items from development partners,” Hon. Seruiratu said.

The Ministry has completed phase 1 of its stacking upgrade for its 2 main dry stores. The Ministry is also working on an end-to-end solution for stores management with development partners such as the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the World Bank.

Minister Seruiratu has acknowledged the Ministry’s development partners for assisting the Ministry in these preparatory works and said that ensuring that we were prepared ahead of time was critical in operating in this new norm.

The Ministry will be replicating the same improvements in their warehouse facilities located in the Western and Northern Divisions.