BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
A disaster officer based in Gizo said some recovery programmes have already started reaching affected communities, despite concerns raised over the pace of recovery operations in recent months.
The officer explained that delays in the recovery process were largely caused by the time required to compile and verify the Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) report, which serves as the foundation to plan and coordinate recovery activities.
He said persistent bad weather and the geographical challenges of Western Province are two major factors to the slow progress.
The officer said Western Province consists of scattered islands spread across a vast area, making transportation and access to affected communities difficult, particularly during rough sea conditions.
He said the completion of the IDA report marks an important milestone and allows authorities to move forward with the development of a comprehensive recovery plan.
“With the IDA report now completed, the next stage is to develop the recovery plan that will guide all recovery activities,” the officer said.
He said the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is expecting to lead the preparation of the recovery plan, while other government ministries and agencies are expected to provide technical support in their respective areas of expertise.
The officer said the recovery plan will outline priority interventions and identify resources required to restore damaged infrastructure, livelihoods and essential services affected by the cyclone.
“Once the plan is finalised, provincial sectors and relevant stakeholders will be expected to implement recovery programmes according to the priorities and strategies identified in the document,” he said.
The officer said government agencies at the provincial level must be prepared to carry out recovery activities efficiently once the plan is endorsed.
“Different sectors within the province must be ready to implement the recovery efforts based on the recovery plan once it is completed,” he said.
Tropical Cyclone Maila caused widespread damage across parts of Western Province earlier this year, affecting homes, food gardens, community infrastructure and livelihoods.
Authorities hope the completion of the recovery plan will accelerate rehabilitation efforts and help affected communities rebuild and restore normalcy in the months ahead.
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