MOIP Minister requests delivery of timber to Aitutaki
The damage assessment of the buildings in Aitutaki carried out by Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) engineers is ready and will be presented to Cabinet next Tuesday. The details are unofficial at this stage but are believed to show the following: 34 buildings totally destroyed; 67 with no roof and 187 with roofs partially damaged.
MOIP Minister, Hon Smiley Heather and Tou Ariki has been in Aitutaki since Wednesday to survey the progress made on the repair and recovery programme of the infrastructure in Aitutaki. His CEO, Tere Taio said the Minister has rung through from Aitutaki requesting some timber to be dispatched to Aitutaki as the island has no timber at all. The request has been conveyed to the Finance Minister who controls the capital expenditure for the relief efforts and if granted, can be sent over on the ship Phoenix which is expected in Avatiu port on Friday 19 February 2010.
On board the Phoenix are two tipper trucks one government owned and one privately owned which are destined to go to Aitutaki for the repair programme.
Fuel, accommodation and their professional services are to be paid for under the EMCI budget. Aitutaki also requires a crusher to be taken to the island to crush the roofing iron that have blown off the buildings and the scrap metal will then be carted off to New Zealand for recycling. (Their own crusher needs a spare part and out of order at the moment) Taio said Minister Heather wants to maximize the services of the ship which is due to leave for Aitutaki this weekend
Another issue is dealing with the huge amount of greenwaste (trees uprooted or snapped in half etc) and so the call has gone out to bring the chipper from Mauke to Aitutaki to mulch the waste for recycling.
DPM, Hon Robert Wigmore and Health Minister flew over to Aitutaki on Thursday afternoon for assessment for their own portfolios of agriculture and health, respectively what with all the agriculture having been all but destroyed and the hospital was partially damaged.
