Tonga: Construction companies share expertise to keep communities safe from disasters - UNDP
Tonga – Private construction companies in Tonga are working alongside communities on ’Eua Island to construct buildings resilient against disasters.
Several private business partners including Nukualofa-based engineering company ITS Pacific and supplier Pacific Timber and Hardware (PTH), are helping ’Eua residents to build or refurbish nine disaster-resilient community multipurpose halls, which meet international cyclone-proof construction standards.
“The response from the community has been overwhelming,” said Chairman and Director ITS Pacific, Malakai Jay Vakasiuola.
“We look forward to maintaining this public-private working relationship with MORDI in the future,” Mr Vakasiuola said.
Building the halls evolved from a new Government-led community planning process helping to ensure Community Development Plans consider climate change and disaster risks. The process is being implemented by the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovation Tonga Trust (MORDI TT), and supported by the Pacific Risk Resilience Programme (PRRP) and other public sector partners.
PRRP along with MORDI TT, are linking the communities with private-sector construction companies and suppliers to build and refurbish the disaster-resilient community halls.
ITS Pacific and PTH, with assistance from MORDI TT, are working alongside communities to help residents design and construct their multipurpose community halls and evacuation centres, giving them hands-on risk-resilient building experience.
“We have been able to form a synergy with MORDI, where our technical and project management skills, and MORDI’s community skills, can deliver successful projects and community capacity building development,” Mr Vakasiuola said.
“It has been a very unique and magnificent experience for ITS.”
Establishing a strong longer-term working relationship with these private businesses was important to ensure these communities remained risk-resilient, according to General Manager for MORDI TT Soane Patolo.
“Communities will be able to draw on this connection in the future, when the time comes to rebuild or refurbish the community halls, or begin another construction project.” Mr Patolo said.
PRRP works with Pacific Island nations and their people to think about the risks they may face from climate change and disasters when they are making their usual plans for development.
Communities can become more resilient to climate change and disasters if routine government, community, and other planning takes these risks into account. This Risk Governance approach is supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and international Non-Government Organisation Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE). PRRP is being delivered in four countries: Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji.
Contact Information
Sheryl Ho, UNDP Knowledge Communications Analyst, tel: (679) 322-7504(679) 322-7504 or email: [email protected]