Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697765067469.pdf (Fiji)
Ministry of Rural & Maritime Development and Disaster Management Annual Report 2016-2017 2017-2018 T A B L E O F CONTENTS Referral Letter Statement By The Permanent Secretary Corporate Profile Organisation Structure Role of the Ministry Major Goals Highlights Budget and Spending Key Investments And Goals Goal 1: Promoting Equal Opportunities And Access To Basic Services, Livelihoods And Markets 1.1 Coordinate And Implement Rural And Maritime Development Programmes 1.2 Ancillary Support Services 1.3 Service Awareness 1.4 Portfolio Leadership, Policy Advice And Secretariat Support 1.5 Community Capacity Building Goal 2: Land Resources Management And Development Goal 3: Implementation Of National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy 3.1 Disaster Response 3.2 Disaster Preparedness 3.3 Disaster Mitigation Goal 4: Human Resource Management And Development Goal 5: Financial Management 26 27 28 28 31 35 36 42 Annual Report 2016_17_18 3 R E F E R R A L L E T T E R Hon.
Inia Seruiratu Minister for Rural & Maritime Development and Disaster Management 1 Knolly Street SUVA Dear Sir, In accordance with the requirements of Part 7 Section 45 (4) of the Financial Management Act 2004, I hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament the Annual Report for the Ministry of Rural & Maritime Development and Disaster Management for the financial years ended 31 July 2017 and 31 July 2018.
Yours sincerely, David Kolitagane Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Rural & Maritime Development and National Disaster Management S T A T E M E N T F R O M P E R M A N E N T S E C R E TA R Y I am pleased to present the Ministry’s Annual Report for the two financial periods ending 31 July 2017 and 31 July 2018.

This report reflects the implementation of the Ministry’s various programmes against targeted outputs in its Annual Corporate Plan for the two financial periods.
Rural development is a national priority outlined in the 5 Year and 20 Year National Development Plan and supports Government’s objectives of “leaving no one behind “even in the most remote rural communities.

The abundant natural resources in rural and maritime areas support Fiji’s economic growth and development.

This must be planned strategically to ensure that economic and social benefits are sustained and made available to all.
The Ministry supports an integrated and coordinated development approach to transform rural living standards from their current adversities into vibrant and resilient rural communities.

During the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 reporting periods, Fiji was still recovering from its most intense tropical cyclone (category 5) to ever make landfall in Fiji.
The widespread damage and destruction of TC Winston was estimated at $2 billion impacting approximately 62 percent of the country’s total population with 44 fatalities.

In response, Government reprioritised its resources including Ministries budget towards restoration of services, infrastructure support and rehabilitation work.
Our Ministry’s coordination role in restoring normalcy to lives impacted reflect the critical role of the Ministry in coordinating Government efforts during emergencies and in normal times.

Despite the TC Winston recovery programmes and many challenges encountered, the Ministry adjusted positively and continued to implement capital programmes assigned for rural and maritime areas.
The Ministry made a positive improvement in the 2017/2018 performance period with 89% budget utilisation compared to 76% in the 2016/2017 performance period.

The rural and maritime areas for which the Ministry is responsible for constitutes about 94% of Fiji’s total land area, and a population of 390,235, representing 44% of Fiji’s total population.

Even though rural areas are sparsely populated, the development of rural areas is integral to Fiji’s overall development and resilience.
The Ministry, however, has its challenges in fulfilling its vision of achieving sustainable, inclusive, growth and resilient communities.

Poverty in rural areas needs to be addressed with the 37% rural population living below the poverty line and 64% of the poor residing in rural areas.

We will support from within government and key partners for the redistribution of wealth towards the rural poor, strengthening infrastructure and basic services to ensure no one is left behind.
I wish to acknowledge and commend the tremendous effort of all my staff and our local and international partners for their support and invaluable contributions towards the achievement of the Ministry’s programmes in these two reporting periods.

David Kolitagane Permanent Secretary for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Annual Report 2016_17_18 5 VISI ON A dynamic Ministry driving sustainable, inclusive, growth and resilience for communities towards a better Fiji for all.
MIS SION the Integrated Rural Development Building Framework for productive, progressive, safe and resilient communities in Fiji VALUES Integrity, Honesty, Customer Focus, Professionalism, Inclusiveness, Equality & Diversity, Trust & Result Focused 6 Annual Report 2016_17_18 ORGANISATION STRUCTURE FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JULY 2017 AND JULY 2018 Figure 1.0 : Organisation Structure: 2016/2017 & 2017/2018 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2016/17 DIVISIONAL OFFICES PERMANENT SECRETARY DEVELOPMENT DISASTER MANAGEMENT CORPORATE SERVICES COMMISSIONER NORTHERN DIVISION COMMISSIONER CENTRAL DIVISION COMMISSIONER WESTERN DIVISION COMMISSIONER EASTERN DIVISION PROJECTS/ MONITORING AND EVALUATION RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE POLICY RESEARH POLICY AND NEOC FINANCE HR and ADMINISTRATION 2017/18 DIVISIONAL OFFICES PERMANENT SECRETARY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATE SERVICES COMMISSIONER NORTHERN DIVISION COMMISSIONER CENTRAL DIVISION COMMISSIONER WESTERN DIVISION COMMISSIONER EASTERN DIVISION PROJECTS / MONITORING AND EVALUATION RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE POLICY RESEARH FINANCE HR and ADMINISTRATION Financial Year 2016/2017 The Ministry had a total of seven (7) Divisions and 32 District offices, under the supervision of 4 Divisional Commissioners.
These District offices are located around Fiji as illustrated in Figure 2.0 below.

The 4 Divisional Offices are located in their respective Divisions expect for Eastern which is based in Knolly street Suva.

The Development Services Division, National Disaster Management office (NDMO) and Corporate Services Division (CSD) are based at the ministry headquaters in Suva.
Financial Year 2017/2018 From August 2017, NDMO was transferred to the newly established Ministry of National Disaster and Meteorological Services (MDMMS).

Although, the new MDMMS operated under a separate budgetary allocation, some programmes and activities were jointly facilitated with the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development (MRMD).

The two Ministries reported to the same Permanent Secretary and Disaster Management operations were coordinated by MRMD at the Divisional and District levels.
The number of divisions in the 2017/2018 financial year had reduced to 6 while the number of Divisional and District offices remained the same.
Figure 2.0 : Ministry’s locations around Fiji Annual Report 2016_17_18 7 ROLE OF THE MINISTRY OF RURAL AND MARITIME DEVELOPMENT AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management is mandated to manage and coordinate government development efforts in rural and maritime communities to support socio-economic development, improve living standards and quality of life, and empower the rural populace to achieve sustainable development livelihoods.
The Ministry’s role broadly aims to raise resilience levels for all Fijians and adopt Disaster Risk Reduction measures at community level.

These directions are aligned to the National Development Plan (20 Year) and support our global commitments.

To do this effectively it must work collaboratively with other Government Agencies, local NGOs and other development partners to coordinate project implementation and prioritise community development needs with central government.
The Ministry builds strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to deliver government services through an integrated approach and collaboration in implementing rural development projects and coordination of disaster emergency operations.

The Ministry also facilitates the conduct of public awareness and education on government services to support national goals of growing the economy and improving the quality of life for those in the rural and maritime communities.
Major Programmes and activities under the Ministry’s portfolio included the Self-Help Programme (SHP), Non-Cane Access Roads (NCAR) / Community Access Roads, Footpaths and Footbridges (CARFF), Rural Housing Assistance Scheme (RHAS), Emergency Water Supply (EWS), administration of Committee on Better Utilisation of Land (CBUL), Community Capacity Building (CCB), and facilitation of Government Road Shows, ancillary services and National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
From August 2017, the Ministry’s role was reviewed following the transfer of the NDMO to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Meteorological Services and CBUL programme was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture.

However, other programmes remained with the Ministry.

Although NDMO operated under a separate Ministry in the 2017/2018 financial period, it continued to work closely with the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development in most of its programmes.
Ancillary Services Ancillary services are services facilitated by the Ministry on behalf of other Government Agencies.

These services include registration of births, death and marriages, issuance of licenses and collection of licenses and permit fees.
8 Annual Report 2016_17_18 G OAL S To achieve the Ministry’s programmes in line with its budgetary provision for the two (2) financial years, the Ministry implemented the following five (5) major goals: Promoting equal opportunities and access to basic services, livelihoods and markets Land resources management and Development Implementation of national disaster risk management strategy Financial management Human resource management and development Annual Report 2016_17_18 9 GOALS 2016 - 2017 & 2017 - 2018 HIGHLIGH TS 4 $1.5m worth Donated by NZ Govenment Govenment 2 8 5 SEL F H E L P Project $3.7m worth u b p lic sector worth $0.8m3Investment Programme r y Se r ll a i c n A v i c e s 39,973 96 Rura l H A s o s i u s t s a n c e i n g Projects worth $2.5 worth $2.5m 8RURAL CARPENTER Training cust o m e r served 4 6 5 , 7 1 Relocation project T u k u r a k i Village worth $0.7m 10 Annual Report 2016_17_18 One National Humanitarian Policy One Tsunami Response Plan Sealegs RoadshowHIGHLIGHTS BUDGET AND SPENDING For financial year 2016/2017, the Ministry was allocated $31.9m, of which $24.3m was spent across the 5 Ministry goals.
This spending represents 76% utilization of the Ministry’s total funding allocation for that financial year.

For financial year 2017/2018, the Ministry was allocated $18.6m, of which $16.6m was spent across the 4 goals of the Ministry.

This spending accounts for 89% of budget utilization by the Ministry for that financial year.
Graph 1.0 Total Budget Provision Vs Total Utilization $31.9m $24.3m $18.6m $16.6m n o i l l i M 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 ($) 89 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 (%) 2016 - 2017 Budget 2017 - 2018 (years) Actual Utilisation Annual Report 2016_17_18 11 KEY INVESTMENTS AND GOALS PROMOTING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES, LIVELIHOODS AND MARKETS OBJECTIVE To implement rural infrastructure programmes, service awareness, community capacity building (CCB), ancillary services, research, policy advice and portfolio leadership and secretariat support to development forums.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES: In pursuit of this goal, the Ministry facilitates and coordinates the implementation of Capital Projects and advisory services budgeted under the: • Community Access Roads, Footpaths and Footbridges (CARFF), • Self Help Projects that promote and assist rural dwellers in the construction of basic amenities and other small projects, Non-Cane Access Roads (NCAR), • Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) - Construction of Government stations in Rural and Maritime Communities • Community Capacity Building (CCB) Programmes, • Ancillary Services, • Provision of advisory support to the Divisional Development Forums (DDF) and the • Formulation and review of policies, and also provides portfolio leadership and secretariat support.
RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 1.1 COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT RURAL AND MARITIME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 1.1.1 Community Access Roads, Footpaths and Footbridges (CARFF) This assistance programme is directed towards the construction and upgrade of new and existing farm roads, footpaths and footbridges, with the aim of opening up access to rural communities and areas that have potential for commercial agro-based activities.
For the two financial years, budget allocation vs. utilization were as follows: • 2016/2017 financial year a budget allocation of $1.5m was provided of which 43 projects were implemented.

• 2017/2018 financial year, a budget allocation of $2m was provided of which 53 projects were implemented.

A combined total of $3.5m was invested by Government to implement 96 CARFF projects in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.
12 Annual Report 2016_17_18 GOAL 1 Graph 2.0 CARFF Budget VS Utilisation ) $ ( n o i l l i M 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 $- $1.5m $1.4m $2m $1.8m Total Budget Total Budget Utilised 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Population Beneficiaries for CARFF The total beneficiaries for the financial year 2016/2017 were as follows: • Population benefited 8,697; • Households benefited 2,168.

The total beneficiaries for the financial year 2017/2018 were as follows: • Population benefited 11,137; • Households benefited 2,786.
Graph 3.0 Population Beneficiary for CARFF projects by Division 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 8,697 11,137 Population Households 2,168 2,786 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Annual Report 2016_17_18 13 1.1.2 Self-Help Programme [SHP] The Self-Help Programme is an assistance-based programme where communities are encouraged to initiate socio-economic projects on a cost-sharing basis.
The Programme has transitioned from solely focusing on social projects1 to livelihood approach2 as a means of empowering rural communities through the provision of income-generating opportunities, at the same time addressing the root causes of poverty.

For the two financial years budget vs. utilization were as follows: • 2016/2017 financial year, a budget of $2.5m was provided of which 164 projects were implemented.
• 2017/2018 financial year, a budget of $1.5m was provided of which 121 SHP projects were implemented.

A combined total of $4m was invested by Government to implement 285 SHP projects in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.

Graph 4.0 SHP Budget provision vs. Budget utilization 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 $- ) $ ( n o i l l i M $2.5m $2.2m $1.5m $0.8m Budget Budget Utilised 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) 1Social Projects – projects that are related to basic necessities.
These includes water and sanitation 2Livelihood approach - these are economic empowerment activities 14 Annual Report 2016_17_18 SHP Projects by Category The two SHP categories are social and income-generating projects (IGP).

Social projects are those that are related to basic necessity such as education, health, water and sanitation projects.

IGPs are those initiatives that a geared towards income generating and wealth creation especially in setting up small businesses.
Social Projects: • 108 were implemented in the 2016/2017 financial year; • 78 were implemented in the 2017/2018 financial year.

IGP • 56 were implemented in the 2016/2017 financial year; • 43 were implemented in the 2017/2018 financial year.
Graph 5.0 Social Projects vs. IGP 108 56 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 78 43 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Social Projects IGP Annual Report 2016_17_18 15 Beneficiaries for Self Help Projects About 54,000 people from approximately 13,700 households benefitted from the 285 SHP projects implemented within the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.

The beneficiaries were located across the 4 divisions.
Graph 6.0 SHP beneficiaries Population vs Household 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 _ 34,387 20,617 8,597 5,155 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Population Households 1.1.3 The Rural Housing Assistance Programme The Rural Housing Assistance programme aims to assist rural communities in need of housing structures that are affordable, durable, cyclone-resistant structures and safe for families in Rural Fiji.
The two (2) schemes under the RHA programme included: • Scheme 1 - Assistance is provided to purchase and transport building materials from suppliers to the homeowner.

• Scheme 2 - Assistance to Social Welfare recipients, including the elderly, widows and differently-abled.

The two financial years budget vs. implementation were as follows: • 2016/2017 financial year, a budget of $0.5m was provided, in which 46 projects were implemented.
• 2017/2018 financial year, a budget of $1m was provided, in which 94 projects were implemented.

A combined total of $1.5m was invested by Government to implement 140 RHA projects in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.
16 Annual Report 2016_17_18 Graph 7.0 Rural Housing Assistance projects Budget Provision Vs Budget utilised ) $ ( n o i l l i M 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 $- $1m $0.9m $0.5m $0.4m 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Total Budget Provision Total Budget Utilised 1.1.4 Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) – Construction of Government Stations PSIP is a programme that facilitates the implementation of Capital Projects that are more than $50,000 in value.

Projects were identified either through the: 1.


The Divisional Development Board; or 2.

The Provincial Development Board.

These boards contributed to the prioritisation of development needs in the divisions.

The two financial years budget vs. implementation were as follows: • 2016/2017 financial year, a budget of $0.3m was utilised for the relocation of the Nacula Nursing Station and lease payments and geo-tech survey for the Wainua Government Station.
• 2017/2018 financial year, a budget of $0.4m was utilised in the construction of the Kubulau Government Station and Vunidawa Government quarters.

A combined total of $0.7m was invested by Government to implement 4 projects in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.
Graph 8.0 Total Budget Utilised $0.4m $0.3m 450,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 $0 2016-2017 2017-2018 (years) Budget Utilised Annual Report 2016_17_18 17 1.1.5 Project Preparatory Work The Project Preparatory Work (PPW) is a programme that facilitates all preparatory works for future PSIP or Construction of Government Stations projects.
The two financial years budget vs. implementation were as follows: • • 2016/2017 financial year, a budget of $1m was provided in which seven (7) Projects were implemented; 2017/2018 financial year, a budget of $0.8m was provided, in which 22 projects were implemented.

A combined total of $1.8m was invested by Government to implement 29 PPW projects in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.
Graph 9.0 PPW Total Budget Provision ($) vs. Total Projects Implemented 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 50,000 $ $1m $0.8m 2016-2017 2017-2018 Total Budget Utilised Total No.

of Projects 25 20 15 10 5 - 1.1.6 Emergency Water Supplies (EWS) Emergency Water Supplies programme involves the provision or delivery of emergency water supplies to areas and communities affected by dry spells or drought-stricken areas and where water sources have dried up.
For the 2016/2017 financial year, emergency water was supplied to affected areas in Ra, Nadroga/ Navosa and Tavua, including the islands of Vatulele and Malolo.

There was no EWS operation in the 2017/2018 financial year as there was no dry spell experienced during this period.
18 Annual Report 2016_17_18 1.2 ANCILLARY SUPPORT SERVICES 1.2.1 Ancillary Services The Ministry, through the Divisional Commissioners, Provincial Administrators and District Offices, provide ancillary support services on behalf of other line ministries or stakeholders not represented in the Division or District.

These services include registrations of births, deaths and marriages, issuance of licenses, permits, and revenue collection.
In the 2016/2017 financial year, a total of 21,183 ancillary services were provided, while in 2017/2018 financial year, a total of 18,760 services were provided.

Fifty (50) staff members of the Ministry were appointed by virtue of their posts in June 2018 to be Justices of the Peace Officers.

Table 1.0 Ancillary Services facilitated in 2016/2017 SERVICE TYPE CCD CWD CND CED TOTAL 1,512 1,938 Business License Liquor License Fishing Permit No.

of Government Pool Quarters Administered No.
of Government Rented Quarters Administered Permits under Public Order Act Registration of Births/Deaths & Marriages Gaming License Justice of Peace Magistracy Service in Rotuma 590 513 232 3 106 173 18 6,786 - 756 13 761 1,786 1,878 343 213 186 748 - - - 331 6 92 254 30 396 - 555 15 216 174 0 120 245 1 166 27 4761 1379 4393 1080 222 504 1420 49 7348 27 TOTAL 9,933 5,975 3,756 1,519 21,183 Table 2.0 Ancillary Services facilitated in 2016/2017 & 2017/2018 SERVICE TYPE CCD CWD CND CED TOTAL Business License Liquor License Fishing Permit No.
of Government Pool Quarters Administered No.
of Government Rented Quarters Administered Permits under Public Order Act Registration of Births/Deaths & Marriages Gaming License Justice of Peace Magistracy Service in Rotuma 1,000 1,905 1,436 275 425 232 3 786 - - 3,184 278 69 1,775 1,213 343 213 186 748 0 331 6 122 83 395 - Ex-servicemen After Care fund 1,000 942 384 485 15 294 174 0 121 246 0 94 27 4,826 637 3,707 1,080 222 1,215 1,077 395 3,278 27 2,326 TOTAL 6,905 6,390 4,039 1,456 18,790 Annual Report 2016_17_18 19 1.3 SERVICE AWARENESS 1.3.1 Government Roadshows I NG BR Closer to Fijians Nausori Highlands Kadavu 40,000 RA L P O PULA T I U R O N reached 20 Annual Report 2016_17_18 Foster Partnership with NGO’S with Agencies Community customers used services more than u s ines ssector B Government & COMMERCIAL BANKS RESILIENCE, LIVELIHOOD AND STRENGTHS IN THE AREA 8provinces reached 17,500Roadshowattended theTHIRTY Table 3.0 Roadshows conducted in 2016/2017 Division Dates Venue CCD CWD CND CED 15-16 February, 2017 Lomary Sec Sch, Serua 14-16 September, 2017 12-13 April, 2017 3-7 July, 2017 Nanoko, Ba Saqani, Cakaudrove Tavuki, Kadavu Table 4.0 Roadshows conducted in 2017/2018 Division Dates Venue CCD CWD CND CED 4-5 April, 2018 Natalaira, Dawasamu, Tailevu 18-19 July, 2018 14-15 June, 2018 16-18 May, 2018 Nasau, Ra Wainunu, Bua Moala, Lau Government Roadshow in Moala, Lau Government Roadshow in Serua Table 5.0 Number of Customers facilitated at the GSCs FY 2016/2017 2017/2018 CCD 6,786 2,319 CWD 1,501 2,731 CND 2,560 1,667 TOTAL 10,847 6,717 Annual Report 2016_17_18 21 1.4 PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP, POLICY ADVICE AND SECRETARIAT SUPPORT 1.4.1 Review and Formulation of Policy Papers Fourteen (14) Cabinet Submissions were tabled in Cabinet and endorsed during the two Financial Years.
The two Policies endorsed by Cabinet were the National Humanitarian Policy for Disaster Risk Management and the National Tsunami Response Plan.

Table 6.0 Number of Cabinet papers, Policies and MOU/MOA facilitated Year 2016/2017 2017/2018 Cabinet Submissions 7 7 MOU/MOA 4 - Approved Policies 2 - The four (4) Agreements signed with international partners during the same period are as follows: i. ii.

iii.

iv.
iii.

iv.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on Space-Based Technology (SBT) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) – The Agreement was to assist Fiji to improve local capacity and collect and share reliable and timely disaster-related data using SBT and ICT at the local government and community level in a cost-effective manner to strengthen disaster resilience and support timely post- disaster response, recovery and construction efforts.
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Japanese International Cooperation System Grant Aid to the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management - The Grant involved the procurement of vehicles and heavy machinery (worth Japanese Yen ¥300,000,000, calculated to be an equivalent of FJD 5.8million) to contribute to the implementation of the Economic and Social Development Programme immediately after a natural disaster.
MOU with New Zealand Government on the Grant Funding Arrangement for “Emergency Response Boats’ New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) – The MOU involved the provision of five (5) amphibious rescue boats improving Government’s overall emergency response logistics, rescue capability and disaster preparedness.
MOA with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) under the ACP – EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) Project – This was aimed at strengthening Disaster Risk Management in Fiji.
The following Projects were funded under the agreement: • Review of the Natural Disaster Management Act (NDMA) and National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP); • Rural Carpenter Training; and • Capacity Building Disaster Risk Resilience & Management – refurbishment of Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) 22 Annual Report 2016_17_18 1.4.2 Rural Development Symposium in 2018 In April 2018, the Ministry convened its first-ever two (2) day Rural Development Symposium in Nadi.
The Symposium was attended by 109 rural development practitioners, inclusive of academics, Ministry’ staff, and the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), line government agencies and regional organisations and thirty-one (31) international participants from the Center for Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) member countries.
The objective of the Symposium was to examine and address critical issues pertaining to rural development in Fiji by highlighting a number of contextual factors affecting policy, programmes and administration of rural development.

The theme of the Symposium was “Sustainable Rural Development for Fiji“.
The five (5) thematic areas covered during the Symposium are illustrated below, Connectivity to Information Communication Technology Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment Rural Development & Emerging Issues 5 Thematic Areas Governance in Rural Development Transforming the Rural Economy The Symposium culminated with an Outcome Statement in the form of a Communiqué.
Annual Report 2016_17_18 23 1.4.3 CIRDAP 33rd Technical Committee Meeting in 2018 Fiji being a member of the CIRDAP hosted the 33rd CIRDAP Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) meeting from 18 to 20 April 2018 at Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi.

The meeting was convened subsequently to the 2-day Rural Development Symposium.
Fourteen (14) out of the fifteen (15) CIRDAP member countries were represented at the TEC 33 meeting where the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Fiji’s representative to the forum, was elected Chair.

Also in attendance at the TEC meeting were CIRDAP expert resource personnel and observers from regional and CIRDAP Countries Rural Development Academic institutions.
Key outcomes of the TEC 33 worth noting, especially for Fiji, were as follows: (i) The establishment of CIRDAP Sub-Centre in Fiji to coordinate CIRDAP Programmes, and the (ii) Establishment of a CIRDAP Link Institute (CLI) in Fiji to conduct research and training on rural development.

1.4.4 Development Forums The Ministry is responsible for providing advisory and support roles to the Provincial Development Boards (PDB), the Divisional Development Boards (DDB) and the District Advisory Councils (DAC).
These forums were established under the Rural Integrated Development machinery endorsed by Cabinet in 2009 to assist the Divisional Commissioners in providing strategic directions for development in their respective Divisions.

These forums also scrutinised and endorsed the Provincial and Divisional Strategic Development Plans.

Development Boards Memberships The three boards consisted of 506 members.
DAC membership represented the 288 DAC constituencies in Fiji, while the PDB and DDB were represented from the 14 Provinces in Fiji and the Rotuma Island Council.
24 Annual Report 2016_17_18 Table 7.0 Boards Memberships are tabulated by Divisions below DIVISION PDB MEMBERS DDB MEMBERS DAC MEMBERS Central Division Western Northern Eastern TOTAL 12 12 15 10 49 59 35 36 39 169 66 129 83 10 288 Development Board Meetings A total of 74 meetings were convened during the two periods (2016/2017 & 2017/2018) and were coordinated by the Divisional and District Offices.
Table 8.0: Number of Meetings convened FORUM 2016/2017 2017/2018 CCD CWD CND CED CCD CWD CND CED PDB DDB DAC 5 1 4 3 1 6 TOTAL 10 10 3 1 5 9 4 1 1 6 5 5 4 3 1 6 14 10 3 1 5 9 4 1 1 6 1.4.5 Facilitation of Protocol Services Providing protocol services to visiting dignitaries or senior government officials and coordinating national events at divisional and districts are two (2) significant roles of the Ministry particularly at Divisional and District level.
Tabulated below is a summary of Protocol Services and national events facilitated during the two periods (2016/2017 & 2017/2018).

Table 9.0: Protocol Services facilitated PROGR.

2016/2017 2017/2018 Protocol Services The 4 Divisions conducted 117 Protocol Services.

Events Few important events usually attended by the Ministry representatives, which includes; • Fiji Day Celebration • Ex-Servicemen Remembrance Day 91 Protocol Services were conducted by the 4 Divisions.
Apart from the two (2) National Events, the Ministry had also assisted in coordinating the National Climate Change Celebration Week for this Financial Year.

Annual Report 2016_17_18 25 1.5 COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING (CCB) The CCB programme is intended to assist communities in formulating Community Development Plans (CDP) by utilising existing resources in their villages and communities to enhance their social and economic development and reduce dependency on Government.
• 2016/2017 financial year, 3 CCB programs were conducted in Seaqaqa, Macuata and Bureiwai Village in Ra.

• 2017/2018 financial year, 2 Income Generating Projects (IGP) training were conducted in the Central Division, and 1 programme was conducted in Kadavu.
Rural Carpenter Training As part of capacity building for the rural and maritime communities, the Ministry, in partnership with the Fiji National University (FNU), conducted eight (8) Rural Carpenter Trainings in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial periods.

Two hundred and twelve (212) rural dwellers were trained under the Rural Carpenter Training programme during the two financial years.
The training venues during the two periods are tabulated below: Table 10.0: Rural Carpenter Training conducted 2016/2017 1.

Naweni Village, Cakaudrove 2.

Qelekuro Village, Tailevu 3.

Tiliva Village, Kadavu 4.

Bukuya Village, Ba 2017/2018 1.

Nabukadra Village in Ra, 2.

Vatukarasa village in Tailevu, 3.

Lakeba village in Macuata 4.


Levuka Village in Lakeba, Lau Rural Carpenter Training in Tailevu Opening of the Jioma Foot crossing in January 2017 26 Annual Report 2016_17_18 LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE To coordinate land utilisation on agricultural land and tenancy lease in the Western, Northern and Central divisions.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES Pursuing this goal, the Ministry facilitates consultation with landowning units with expired leases and encourages partnerships between stakeholders and promote better utilisation of land under reserve.

RESULTS 2.1 BETTER UTILISATION OF LEASED LAND THROUGH COMMITTEE ON BETTER UTILISATION OF LAND (CBUL) During the 2016/2017 FY, ten (10) awareness and outreach programmes were conducted with landowning units with expired leased lands in the Northern Division.
The purpose of the outreach programme was to discuss and encourage landowners on opportunities to better utilise their land.

Four (4) progressive meetings were also convened to complement the awareness initiatives.

Two (2) sub-divisional CBUL meetings were convened during the year to firm up the payment of $7.1million to the iTaukei Land Trust Board (iTLTB) on the initiatives implemented from the outreach programmes conducted.

In August 2017, the programme was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Annual Report 2016_17_18 27 GOAL 2 IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION STRATEGY OBJECTIVE This goal involves disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, emergency operations, relief and rehabilitation.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES: In pursuit of this goal, the Ministry coordinates with relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the National Disaster Management policies, including disaster mitigation and preparedness and emergency operations.
The NDMO sets up the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) Divisional and District EOCs to coordinate disaster monitoring, warning, and immediate post-disaster response, including emergency relief work.

RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 3.1 3.1.1 i DISASTER RESPONSE TC Winston Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston Reports Highlight all reports published after TC Winston A national workshop was conducted on 26–28 July 2016 to identify lessons learnt from TC Winston operations.
The workshop was held at the Novotel Hotel, in Lami, Suva with the financial support from the European Union and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).The NDMO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in close cooperation with partners such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the University of the South Pacific (USP), the International Federation of the Red Cross, the Fiji Red Cross and the World Food Programme (WFP) including the Ministry of Civil Service facilitated the 3 days workshop.
The purpose of the workshop was to consolidate feedbacks from multiple stakeholders (local, regional and international) on the TC Winston response in order to identify steps and make recommendations to strengthen future disaster risk management in Fiji.

The workshop was attended by more than 500 participants from Government, local and international NGOs, affected communities, the private sector, humanitarian partners, sub-national government and civil society groups.
Other reports published by Government and development partners after TC Winston included TC Winston Recovery Framework, Food Security and Recovery Needs Assessment, Disaster Response and Lessons Learnt, Education response, Humanitarian response, Post Disaster Needs Assessment and Logistics lessons learnt summary.
28 Annual Report 2016_17_18 GOAL 3 ii TC Winston Commemoration The TC Winston Commemoration Day was held on 20 February 2017, at Albert Park in Suva to commemorate the catastrophic event that claimed 44 innocent lives.

This event provided an opportunity for survivors to reflect on their experiences as the nation strives collaboratively to increase community resilience to withstand future disasters.
The theme of the event was “Live to Tell – A resilient Fiji” and the scope was to capture as much essence of TC Winston from government and that outside government.

The event included public statements, video presentations, interviews of victims of TC Winston, exhibitions through the involvement of members of the public and students, high media advocacy included live streaming, which promoted the commemoration of the event.
The event was attended by government agencies, NGOs, students and members of the public.

iii Tukuraki Relocation Project The Tukuraki Relocation Project started on 26 June 2016, after 50% of the whole village was buried by a major landslide on 26 January 2015 – killing a young family of four (4).

The Mineral Resources Department (MRD), following their assessment, confirmed that the site was no longer safe for occupation due to ground instability.
Consequently, an evacuation order was issued to the villagers to vacate the site within 48-hours after the incident.

The European Union (EU), through the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) Project, provided a budget of $770,000 in 2015 for the establishment of the Tukuraki Relocation project and rebuilding of Tukuraki Village.

The project was completed in 2017 and officially opened on 26 October 2017.

Tukuraki Relocation Project in June 2018.


Annual Report 2016_17_18 29 iv Emergency Operations In December 2016, widespread rain and flooding were experienced across Fiji, resulting in multiple landslides around the country.

Qamea Island in the Northern Division was badly affected by a major landslide in which the Dreketi Health Centre, the Dreketi Primary School and houses in Togo Village were destroyed.

Following an assessment by the MRD team, 18 houses were identified to be in the red zone areas.
Government-led a team to Qamea to conduct damage assessment and provided food rations, relief and rehab operations.

The damage was estimated at $30m, with the agriculture and infrastructure sectors the most affected.

Ongoing TC Winston assessments were also conducted during this period.
Qamea Landslide – January 2017 Qamea Landslide – January 2017 30 Annual Report 2016_17_18 3.2 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 3.2.1 National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) Meeting The National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) meeting was convened in December 2016 due to post TC Winston events.

3.2.2 Review of the Disaster Act and Plan The review of the Natural Disaster Management Act commenced in March 2018.
It was led by the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) to ensure compliance to international disaster response legislation and the world humanitarian system.

The review required significant consultations with key stakeholders which commenced with the TC Winston Lessons Learned workshops, where recommendations were made regarding the policy and legislation review work.
However, additional consultations were conducted to ensure that the needs and views of all were accurately captured and to verify the proposed recommendations for changes to policy and subsequent amendment to legislations.

The review was funded by the BSRP in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Two important policies were also reviewed and completed during the 2017/18 financial year; (1) National Humanitarian policy for Disaster Risk Management and (2) the Tsunami Response Plan.

The formulation of these two policies was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Australian Government.

3.2.3 Installation of Tsunami sirens Five (5) Tsunami sirens were installed in the Suva-Lami corridor through a partnership between the Ministry, SPC, BSRP and GIZ.
3.2.4 Refurbishment and Upgrading of Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) and Warehouses The refurbishment and upgrading of two (2) District Emergency Operation Centres, namely DO Tavua and DO Lautoka, commenced from the 2016/2017 FY and were completed in the 2017/2018 financial year.

During the same period, the new Lautoka and Labasa warehouses were constructed.
The refurbishment of District EOCs was funded under the BSRP programme, while the construction of the Lautoka and Labasa warehouses were funded by the New Zealand government under the MFAT programme.

Included in the MFAT funding was the provision of 10 x 1,000ltrs towable trailers and 2 x 10,000ltrs water tank.
3.2.5 Donation of Rescue Boats Five (5) rescue boats (Sealegs) were donated by the New Zealand Government in July 2017 under the Grant Funding Arrangement for “Emergency Response Boats’ to improve Government’s overall emergency response logistics, rescue capability and disaster preparedness.

In partnership with MFAT, the Ministry conducted a three (3) days Sealegs Operators training from July 24-26, 2017.
The training was attended by Ministry staff and personnel from key line agencies, including the Fiji Military Forces, Fiji Police and Fiji Navy.

Annual Report 2016_17_18 31 3.2.6 Communication The High frequency (HF) radio communication system on ten different sites around the country re-established and funded by the World Food Program (WFP).

The ten sites are listed below: i.

National Disaster Management Office - National Emergency Operation Centre located at Regional House, 1 Knolly Street, Suva; ii.
Central Division Operation Room located on Level 2, Tailevu House, Nausori; iii.

Korovou District Emergency Operation Centre located on Level 1, Waimaro Building in Korovou Town; iv.

Rakiraki District Emergency Operation Centre (Office of Provincial Administration Ra) located in the main centre of Rakiraki Town; v. Tavua District Emergency Operation Centre located in the Tavua District Office Building in Tavua Town; vi.
Ba District Emergency Operation Centre located in the Ba District Office Building in Ba Town; vii.

Western Division Emergency Operation Centre located in the Office of the Commissioner Western Division in Lautoka City; viii.

Nadi District Emergency Operation Centre located on Level 2 of the Nadi District Office in Nadi Town; ix.

Sigatoka District Emergency Operation Centre (Office of the Provincial Administrator Nadroga/Navosa) located in Lawaqa, Sigatoka town; x.
Eastern Division Emergency Operation Centre located on the ground floor of Regional House, 1 Knolly Street Suva.

Figure 3.0 : Radio Communication System sites 32 Annual Report 2016_17_18 3.2.7 National Disaster Awareness Week National Disaster Awareness Week (NDAW) is an annual event mandated by law under the NDM Act 1998.

The NDAW is aligned to the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which is held annually on 13 October.
This event aims to enhance the level of disaster preparedness of communities and anticipate the reduction of damages and losses that may occur if a disaster strikes.

It also assists in preparing communities for the beginning of the cyclone season in November.

In the 2016/2017 financial year, the NDAW was held from October 25-28, 2016 in Suva as well as in the Division.

The theme for the NDAW was “Live to Tell“ and was launched by the Assistant Minister Hon.
Joeli Cawaki at the Fiji Meteorological Office in Laucala Bay, Suva, followed by talkback shows in three (3) languages with the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC).

NDAW capped off with an Open Day whereby the public and school students were invited for a tour of the National Emergency Operation Center(NEOC).

The Open Day on 28 October 2016, was officiated by the Permanent Secretary then, Mr Meleti Bainimarama, at Victoria Park in Suva.

A total of 405 students attended the event.


In the 2017/2018 financial year the NDAW was held on October 13-20, 2017 at Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva.

The Ministry, facilitated the event and the theme was “Tsunami Ready“.

The event was officially opened by the Minister for Defence and National Security, Hon.

Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

The Fiji National Humanitarian Policy for Disaster Risk Management and the Tsunami Response Plan were also launched at the event.
Students participating at the NDAW Stakeholders and key Agencies at the NDAW Annual Report 2016_17_18 33 2017 ND AW ACT IV IT IE S NEOC EXPERIENCE The NEOC Experience” was a new component of NDAW and the purpose was to raise awareness/knowledge of school students and members of the public after a tour of the NEOC.
DISPLAY The Fiji Clusters and Fiji Met Office were invited to present information on preparedness for Category 5 Cyclones and other natural hazards in conjunction eith NDMO’s media campaign and “NEOC Experience”.

DRILL Conducted during the day to 400 students by Save the Children Fiji EXPERIENCE SHARING Three(3) students and two(2) teachers from QVS shared experience on TC Winston Fiji TV COMMERCIAL Disaster Preparedness advice to the general public have been aired by the Fiji TV for the month of November.
TALK BACK SHOW Talk Back shows aired through FBC in three(3) different languages English, Hindi and iTaukei.

This continued during the Cyclone Season.

SOCIAL MEDIA The Ministry’s Media team worked closely with NDMO in pushing disaster preparedness messages.

34 Annual Report 2016_17_18 3.2.8 Upgrade of Disaster Information Management Systems (DIMS) A new Database Management system project was funded in the 2017/2018 budget.
The objective of the project was to automate all disaster management and emergency operations processes, project management data for informed decisions and foundation for new information, communications technology (ICT) in the Ministry.

The project had a four-phase cycle comprising of scoping and analysis, consultations and planning, development phase and the implementation phase.
At the end of the financial period, the project completed the first and second phases, which included purchasing equipment necessary for the project.

3.3 DISASTER MITIGATION 3.3.1 Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) Training Two (2) major CBDRR trainings were conducted in Vanuabalavu (whole of Vanuabalavu including Cikobia and Avea) Lau and in four (4) villages in the province of Ra.
The training in Vanuabalavu was funded by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), while the training in Ra was funded by Partners in Community Development (PCDF).

3.3.2 Disaster Risk and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR & CCA) The DRR & CCA programme was established to support the need to put in place measures to build the resilience of communities at the grassroots level.

At the inception of the programme, the focus was solely on DRR initiatives.
The main areas of assistance under the programme have been towards the construction of seawalls and evacuation recentres and the provision of financial support towards community relocation activities.

The programme was used to pilot Government’s relocation programme, which was undertaken for Vunidogoloa Village in Cakaudrove.
This pilot project provided the blueprint for the relocation of Tukuraki Village in Ba and Narikoso Village in Kadavu in terms of the Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) needed for a complete relocation programme.

The programme was expanded to include CCA, given the convergence between DRR and CCA at the implementation level.
Relocated Vunidogoloa Village in Cakaudrove (Picture: GIZ Pacific) Official opening of the relocated Tukuraki Village in Ba – October 2017 Annual Report 2016_17_18 35 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE This goal involves management of human resources, staff development, organisational development and administration.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES: In pursuit of this goal, the Ministry facilitates Human Resource Management through the recruitment and selection process, facilitate and conduct staff training, annual performance assessments, leave management, management of vehicle and transport and other logistics support.
RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 4.1 STAFF ESTABLISHMENT The Ministry had a total establishment of 338 positions (230 Established; 108 GWE) in the 2016/2017 financial year and 323 positions (219 Established and 104 GWEs) in the financial year 2017/2018.

The reduction in staffing numbers from the 2016/2017 financial year and 2017/2018 was due to the transfer of the NDMO to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Meteorological Services from August 2017.
Graph 11 : Ministry’s Staff Establishment 230 219 108 104 250 200 150 100 50 0 2016/17 2017/18 Years Established Govrnment Wages Earners 36 Annual Report 2016_17_18 GOAL 4 4.1.2 Recruitment and Selection A total of 103 appointments were facilitated in the 2 financial years.

The Ministry’s vacancy rate reduced from 15% in the 2016/2017 financial year to 13% in the 2017/2018 financial year.
4.1.3 A total of 76 staff postings and transfers were facilitated in both financial years i.e 47 in 2016/17 and 29 in 2017/2018.

4.1.4 Gender Composition The Ministry’s gender composition in the 2 financial years changed with the number of Male Officers reduced by 14% in the 2017/2018 period while female officers increased by 17% in the same period.
Graph 12 : Gender Composition 400 200 0 191 97 2016/2017 Female 164 114 2017/2018 Years Male Annual Report 2016_17_18 37 4.5 Staff Training The Ministry recognises the need for ongoing staff training and development.

Training opportunities were provided for staff to acquire skills and knowledge needed to perform their assigned roles and develop their potential to meet the required skill sets and future needs of the Ministry.
The Ministry ensured that annual training plans were developed and executed to meet its training needs.

Sealegs Training – July 2017 More than 85% staff attended trainings in the 2 financial years.
More staff trainings were facilitated through in-house programmes in the 2016/2017 financial years while in the 2017/2018 financial years more staff attended in-service programmes Graph 13 : Staff Training 250 200 150 100 50 0 212 93 104 9 61 43 In-house In-service (Local) In-service (Overseas) 2016/17 2017/18 Years 38 Annual Report 2016_17_18 Five (5) Officers were on full-time study leave during the 2 financial years and graduated with the following qualifications: • Two (2) Officers graduated with Post Grad Diploma in Rural Development from Hyderabad, India, • Two (2) graduated with Master’s Degree in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, from Thailand; and • One (1) graduated with Masters in Disaster Management Policy Programme from Japan.
Staff Induction Training – May 2018 4.6 Staff - Team Building Exercises The Ministry organized end of the year sports events in both financial years where all Divisions participated in a church service, sports activities followed by dinner to commemorate the end of the calendar year.

The event in December 2016 was held in Suva and hosted by the Ministry HQ while the event in 2017 was held in Lautoka and hosted by the Commissioner Western Division’s office.
The overall winner for the 2016 Sports Day – Team Northern Division Annual Report 2016_17_18 39 4.7 Obituary Record Four (4) staff passed away during these reporting periods.

• Mr. Niumaia Masere was serving as the District Officer Rotuma during the time of his demise.

He had served in the Ministry for more than ten (10) years.

• Ms. Kesaia Naiqama was the Government Service Center (GSC) Manager at the Central Division during the time of her unfortunate demise.
She had served in the Ministry for seven (7) years.

• Ms. Lanieta Sanavitilevu was the (AO) Training at Headquarters during the time of her unfortunate demise.

She had served in the Ministry for over 24 years.

• Ms. Sereima Bale was the Assistant District Officer Savusavu.

She had served in the Ministry for over 15 years before her unfortunate demise.
Late DO Rotuma Mr. Niumaia Masere Late GSC Manager Ms. Kesaia Naiqama Late AO Training Ms. Lanieta Sanavitilevu Late AD Officer Ms. Sereima Bale 4.8 Vehicle Management The Ministry had a total of 45 vehicles during the two (2) financial periods with twenty eight (28) leased vehicles and seventeen (17) government owned vehicles.
Fuel costs increased by 2.6% in 2017/2018 and this was mainly due to the increase in projects implemented and activities undertaken under the Rural Housing Assistance scheme, Project preparatory Works, PSIP projects and transportation and logistics activities during the 2018 Rural Development Symposium held in Nadi in April 2018.
Graph 14 : Fuel consumption 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 $ , 9 0 5 0 8 $ 6 4 4 1 4 $ , , 0 9 8 4 6 $ 1 0 0 7 3 $ , , 9 3 9 3 7 $ , 5 9 8 7 4 $ CND CWD HQ 2017/18 Years , 3 9 4 9 4 $ , 3 2 9 3 4 $ CCD 0 0 0 5 3 $ , , 0 9 9 4 3 $ CED 2016/17 40 Annual Report 2016_17_18 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 5.1 5.1.1 Accounts The Ministry’s Agency Financial Statements (AFS) and Annual Procurement Plan (APP) for the 2 Financial years were completed and submitted to the respective Agencies on the required timeline.
The Ministry implemented deliverables and indicators such as reconciliation of accounts, procurement, managing of Trust Accounts, Virement and RIE applications, the conduct of the Annual Board of Survey, processing of staff salaries and wages and managing of Ministry’s budget and utilisation.

These processes are facilitated at HQ and at the Divisional level.

The Ministry took all efforts to address all queries raised by the Auditors.
These included the review of Capital Projects SOP, issuance of Internal Circulars, monitoring and evaluation and review of processes.

Annual Report 2016_17_18 41 GOAL 5 5.2 Agency Financial Statements