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Rabi Council to Restore Ocean Island
The Fiji Sun
6/18/2009
Rabi council to restore Ocean Island
People of Rabi Island now have a chance to return to Ocean Island when rehabilitation works on their native island is completed.
Development plans are already underway to restore the island which was vacated in the early 1900 due to the phosphate extraction by European companies on the island.
The phosphate extraction ruined 90 per cent of the island forcing the native Barnabas to relocate to Kiribati and Rabi Island.
Australian-based economist Peter Crowly is now working closely with the Rabi Island Council and other parties concerned in trying to get back Ocean Island into its healthy state.
Mr Crowly said the island was heavily polluted and that was what they would be working on first.
“We are still in the early stage and we have a lot to do beginning with the removal of the old buildings and tanks that are polluting the environment,” Mr Crowly said.
“We will work on getting the island back to its fertile state where the people are able to plant on it as well as trying to establish a source of water on the island.”
He said it would cost around $50 million to complete this project.
They are looking at the remaining phosphate on the island to finance part of this project.
Approval has already been sought by the Barnabas on Rabi Island and Kiribati.
Although the project will take another 20 years to complete, Rabi Island Council chairman Dr Paulo Vanualailai said they eagerly awaited the day when they would return to their native island.
“We will surely return when the island is restored. It is the issue of restoring our identity that we long for and that is the reason we support this project,” Dr Vanualailai said.
About 200 people chose to live on Ocean Island despite its ruined state.
The people get $140,000 monthly in allowance from the Rabi and Kiribati council to help them survive on the island.
Their main source of food comes from the sea.
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© Copyright © 2007, Sun (Fiji) News limited. All Rights Reserved.
6/18/2009
Rabi council to restore Ocean Island
People of Rabi Island now have a chance to return to Ocean Island when rehabilitation works on their native island is completed.
Development plans are already underway to restore the island which was vacated in the early 1900 due to the phosphate extraction by European companies on the island.
The phosphate extraction ruined 90 per cent of the island forcing the native Barnabas to relocate to Kiribati and Rabi Island.
Australian-based economist Peter Crowly is now working closely with the Rabi Island Council and other parties concerned in trying to get back Ocean Island into its healthy state.
Mr Crowly said the island was heavily polluted and that was what they would be working on first.
“We are still in the early stage and we have a lot to do beginning with the removal of the old buildings and tanks that are polluting the environment,” Mr Crowly said.
“We will work on getting the island back to its fertile state where the people are able to plant on it as well as trying to establish a source of water on the island.”
He said it would cost around $50 million to complete this project.
They are looking at the remaining phosphate on the island to finance part of this project.
Approval has already been sought by the Barnabas on Rabi Island and Kiribati.
Although the project will take another 20 years to complete, Rabi Island Council chairman Dr Paulo Vanualailai said they eagerly awaited the day when they would return to their native island.
“We will surely return when the island is restored. It is the issue of restoring our identity that we long for and that is the reason we support this project,” Dr Vanualailai said.
About 200 people chose to live on Ocean Island despite its ruined state.
The people get $140,000 monthly in allowance from the Rabi and Kiribati council to help them survive on the island.
Their main source of food comes from the sea.
Home |Local News | Business News | Ship Write | Local Sports | School of the week | Weekender | Island life| Promotion| Letters| Comment| Gallery| Archives| weather| Classifield
© Copyright © 2007, Sun (Fiji) News limited. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Kristina Bakaua Ruabete on June 23, 2009 at 5:32pm -
HELLO
These two words Rehabilitation and Restoration of Banaba will make our ancestors sing and dance with joy in the heavens. I know that the great joy we have for this recent news by our great Rabi Council Chairman Dr Paulo Vanualailai is also experienced by them.
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Comment by Kristina Bakaua Ruabete on June 23, 2009 at 3:48am
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Thank you very much Mere for this exciting news!!!!!!
HALLELUJAH!! ALL PRAISES TO THE ALMIGHTY for the RESTORATION of BANABA!!
Now at last I know who will control BANABA in the future!!
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Comment by Mere Taberanibou on June 19, 2009 at 10:25am - Of course Stacey since the number of people on Banaba is jus a few hundreds they will be millionaires
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Comment by Stacey King on June 19, 2009 at 10:16am - I think they mean $14,000 monthly NOT $140,000... if that was the case that would make life for the Banabans very different.
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