7 Feb 2006

Mahendra Chaudhry says Fiji Government needs to do more for flood victims

2:40 pm on 7 February 2006

Fiji's opposition says the government should act more quickly to assist flood victims in the country's west and north.

The flooding was widespread, causing four deaths and forcing more than two hundred people to move to emergency shelters.

The opposition leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, says the government is not offering enough assistance.

"The government is very slow in delivering this assistance. I am in the moment in Vanua Levu, on the other island where the flood struck about six days ago. To this day no government relief has been given to these people, not even rations, nothing has been given ."

The opposition is calling for cash support for the victims but the government has rejected this and says it will offer material assistance instead.