All of the $TP52.6 million donated to Tonga by overseas donors would be spent on the recovery process, the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) has announced.
It said nothing had been budgeted from these funds for rebuilding and reconstruction of damaged buildings and houses. That would be another process it said.
NEMO said TP$23.6 million in cash had been deposited in the government’s cyclone Gita’s bank account, with TP$2 million deposited into its normal account.
Cabinet had allocated TP$21.4 for the Cyclone sub-committee to help the recovery process.
It said the money would be spent on specific areas including shelter, education, food and security, and communication. The smallest allocation, TP$200,000, will go to communications with the largest outlay, TP$7.7 million, going to essential services, including electricity maintenance.
About TP$10,000 worth of donations had arrived by military aircraft.
Donors had made offers of more aid, but these had not yet materialised.
In its latest report on the state of Tonga after Cyclone Gita, NEMO said 819 households had been destroyed and 3889 households damaged.
An RNZAF Hercules had flown in 299 agriculture tool kits, 78 boxes of education resources and accessories for Tonga Power Limited.
Three operational evacuation centres were still operating in ‘Eua.
Water quality testing and monitoring showed water was safe for consumption
In Tongatapu 60% of power had been restored.
About 80% of priority schools and evacuation cenres in Tongatapu had been sprayed.
NEMO said crops that could be harvested within four to six months were needed.
Other needs included feed for pigs and other animals and portable saw mills needed for logging of fallen trees for reconstruction and rehabilitation such livestock fencing and house repairs.
Food supplies have been exempted from Customs duty for the next six months.
South Pacific Business Development donated water and food items to more than 300 families in ‘Eua.
Digicel Tonga distributed water and school stationery to Maamaloa Side School, Tonga Side School, St. Francis Catholic School, GPS Nuku’alofa and GPS in the central area of Tongatapu; as well as food items and water to 34 homes of children with special needs.
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Ko e a’u mai eni ki he faka’osi’osi ‘o e fakahoko fatongia fakavavevave (emergency response) ‘a e ‘Ofisi ki he Tokangaekina ‘o e Ngaahi Fakatamaki Fakaenatula (NEMO) pea mo hono ngaahi kupu fekau’aki pea ‘oku fe’unga fakakātoa ‘a e pa’anga mo e ngaahi koloa kuo tokoni mai ‘aki ‘e he ngaahi fonua muli pea mo e ngaahi kautaha fakatu’apule’anga mo e $52.6 miliona.
‘Oku ‘osi fakapapaui’i mai mei he Potungāue Pa’angá mo e Palani Fakafonuá ko e pa’anga fakakātoa ‘e $23.6 miliona ‘oku ‘i he tohi pangike ‘a e saikolone ko Gita pea $2 miliona leva ‘oku ‘i he ‘akauini angamaheni ‘a e pule’angá.
Fakatatau ki he fakamatala ‘a e ‘Ofisa Pule Ngāue ‘a e Potungāue MEIDECC Paula Ma’u, ko e mahu’inga ‘o e pa’anga kuo tali ‘e he kapineti ke tuku mai ko e pa’anga ‘e $21.4 miliona ke fakahoko’aki e ngaahi fatongia ko ení mo hono fakaakeake ‘aki ‘a e ngaahi komiti si’i.
“Ko e Shelter Cluster ‘oku tokanga’i ia ‘e he Potungāue ki he ngaahi Ngāue Lalahí ‘i hono langalanga hake ‘a e ngaahi fale na’e maumau. Fakatokanga’i ange ko e pa’anga koení ‘oku ngata pe ia ‘i he ngaahi tokoni fakavavevave ‘o a’u ki he fakaakeake pē ko e recovery, ‘oku te’eki ketau a’u tautolu ki he construction pē ko hono langa fo’ou koia ‘o e ngaahi fale na’e holó. Ko e pa’anga koení ‘oku ngata pe ia ‘i he immediate response.”
‘I he’ene fakamatala na’a né pehē ko e pa’anga ‘e $5.8 miliona kuo vahe’i ki he Shelter Cluster, $3.8 miliona ma’ae Education Cluster, $2.4 miliona ma’ae WASH Cluster, $1.3 million ma’ae Food & Security Cluster, $2 kilu ma’ae Communication Cluster pea $7.7 miliona ki he Essential Services ‘a ia ‘oku kau kiai ‘a e ngāue ki he ‘uhila. Pea ‘oku fakataha’i kotoa eni moe fo’i pa’anga ‘e $21 miliona ne ‘osi tali ‘e he kapineti ke fakahoko’aki ‘a e fakaakeake.
“Ko e pa’anga ko eni kuo ‘ave ki he ngaahi clusters pe komiti si’í, ko nautolu leva ia tenau tokanga’i ‘enau patiseti pea pehē foki ki he’enau ngaahi ngāue ke fakahokó fakatatau ki he ngaahi polokalama kuo fakahoko mai takitaha.”
Na’a ne toe fakahā foki ko e mahu’inga fakakātoa ‘o e in-kind pē ko e ngaahi koloa tokoni ne a’utaki mai ‘e he ngaahi vakapuná mo e vaka tahí mei he ngaahi fonua mulí mo e ngaahi kautaha tu’apule’angá, ne fe’unga mo e pa’anga ‘e $17.4 miliona.
‘Oku ‘i ai mo e pa’anga kuo’osi ma’u mai ‘a hono ngaahi talá mo e ngaahi fetu’utakí ka ‘oku te’eki fakaa’u mai ki he ‘akauiní kau ki ai ‘a e pa’anga ‘e $10 miliona na’e me’a ‘aki ‘e he Palemia Nu’usila lolotonga ‘enau folau mai ki Tonga ní, ‘a ia ‘oku fe’unga mo e pa’anga ‘e $11.5 miliona fakakatoa.