Transcript
Disaster authorities in Vanuatu have received a boost with the arrival of three emergency boats, a large flatbed truck, and two four wheel drive vehicles.
The new assets are provided by a European Union and Pacific Community (SPC) project to bolster the region's preparedness.
The SPC's Melanesia director says the vehicles, which cost US$116,000, will be deployed to different parts of the country.
Mia Rimon says whilst Vanuatu is the current focus, other countries will also benefit from the $US21.6 million project.
MIA RIMON: Every country in the Pacific needs to have the capability to respond when things go wrong -- when there's natural disasters, when there's man-made disasters -- and this is a direct request from the government to build their preparedness, to follow their own disaster risk management practices, and policies, and planning. So we're very happy to support this request from the government of Vanuatu.
KOROI HAWKINS: I'm assuming the vehicles and the truck will be mostly for Port Vila, but what kind of boats are they?
MR: These are just boats to be able to -- the NDMO is able to use these where ever they would like to have them deployed, there are some parts of Vanuatu where the NDMO already has assets and some parts where they don't and it's up to the NDMO to put these boats and trucks in the critical places where there is no access to service or they need a more coordinated way to manage reaching people in remote areas.
KH: Is this programme being rolled out anywhere else in the region? Are the governments NDMO, National Disaster Management officers getting similar equipment?
MR: Yes, this project actually the BSRP -- the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project -- is being implemented by SPC is several countries in the Pacific, but we're focussed today on Vanuatu because it is really the country that has suffered the largest cyclone in their history, with the exception of Winston -- for the region these are the big hitters. So, for today we're focussing on Vanuatu but yes there are other countries in the Pacific that we're very happy are benefitting off this project.
