March 2010 Blog Posts (68)

Interview Fiji Agriculture Official states 90-100% food crops destroyed Rabi from Cyclone Tomas

Biara Touakin reporting direct from Rabi, Fiji

Kam na mauri ara koraki,

Bon te kamauri mai Rambi imwiin te ang are e ururu iaon abara aio.

I taku ba kama bon tia n nori tamnei man ongo rongorongo ibukin abara aio mwiin ana ururu te ang TC Tomas n te Moanibong ao te Kauabong 15th ao 16th n te namakaina aei.

E bon rangin korakora aron ana ururu nakon taian auti ao riki nakon taian kaina-n-amarake n aron te nii, te mai, te tabioka ao a maiti riki. Ikai naba…

Banaba's Rays of Hope at a time when our people on Rabi need it most. The rehabilitation of Banaba, the homeland will be an important focus for the Banaban people in the years to come.

These beautiful photographs of Banaba were taken by John Sutton from UK when he met up…

Stacey, Fellow Banabans and Friends,

For your information, we now have a bank account** for the Hurricane Thomas relief fund available as follows:

Account name: Banaban Trust Fund Board

Account number: 032-004 14 - 6345

Bank Name: WESTPAC BANK

Location: WESTPAC ROYAL EXCHANGE SYDNEY

Stacey since this bank is located in Australia, it will make your work easier for you that side to forward assistance in monetary terms without costly transaction…

I would like to encourage all our BV members wherever you may reside to please forward the Chairman's Plea to all your friends, family and especially organizations etc you may be involved with.

The direct link to the Chairman's letter is: https://banabanvoice.ning.com/profiles/blogs/plea-from-rabi-chairman-to

We need to support our Chairman NOW and use the power of the internet to spread his message…

Ken and Biniati have just phoned from Rabi to let us know that they have now finished the aid drop right to the outer settlements e.g. Eritabeta, Motawa, and the other side of the island. Ken said the people living at these remote settlements were able to use the satellite phone to talk to family back in main land. Biniati advised that the Fiji team were still on Rabi working on the follow up assessments at each village. Ken will sadly be leaving Rabi tomorrow and heading towards the coconut…

Dear Stacy and Friends of the Banaban People.…

Bauro Vaunalailai, Chairman Rabi Council of Leaders, 24 March 2010

ANOTHER EMERGENCY AID SHIPMENT PLANNED FOR FRIDAY 26 MARCH LEAVING SUVA

The Chairman has advised this morning that they have arranged an Aid Shipment to be dispatch from Suva this Friday aboard the ‘Silivan’ bound for Savusavu. They are hoping the shipment will land on Rabi over this weekend for distribution.

Please have ALL…

23 March 2010 Rabi Island Fiji reported by Ken Sigrah via satellite phone

EMERGENCY FOOD ALREADY DISTRIBUTED EVENLY TO FOUR VILLAGES

Ken advised that on their return from Savusavu with emergency food supplies that they immediately began distribution of the food to each of the four villages on Rabi.

He stated that they did not want the people to go hungry another day. The donated food was divided equally and…

Pacific Beat Home | Broadcast Times Updated March 23, 2010 07:57:09



Fiji's Ministry of Health is assessing the needs of people and tallying up the damage bill for medical facilities after Cyclone Tomas swept through the north and east. There are also reports that the island of Rabi has been totally devastated.

Presenter: Sam Seke

Speaker: Iliesa Tora, Health Ministry spokesman

Listen:Windows…

Tuesday 23 March 2010 Savusavu-Rabi, Fiji by Stacey King

Banaban, Ken Sigrah rang this morning from the lorry as they drove off from Savusavu heading for Karoko. He reported out of his FJD$3,000 Donations budget he was able to get the following food rations for general village distribution planned for tomorrow on Rabi. He said that all the food prices in Savusavu had gone up rapidly due to the current crisis.

This is an approximate list as Ken lost contact with us as the lorry…

Monday, March 22, 2010 Short Briefs

The map shows, from north to south, Eastern Vanua Levu to Udu Point; the Tunuloa peninsula, Vanua Levu, with Kioa (home to Fiji's Tuvaluans) and Rabi islands; and the northern tip of Taveuni.

Rabi island, home of Fiji's Banaban population, was in the direct path of the hurricane but as far as I…

Today we organized the setting up of our office in Suva since everybody came to the office today. I did mention the importance of working together the Banaban Trust Fund Board, the Banaban Limited and Rabi Council of Leaders. I have informed our groups in Suva in regard to the setting of the RCL DISMAC UNIT including Nawaia giving his time as one of our volunteers. Ofati Tati is here fulltime to try and get Banaban recruits for quick and fast job intakes with fishing companies…

By MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz WORLD NEWS Last updated 09:04 22/03/2010

A small island in Fiji, home to a forgotten band of exiles, is facing starvation and disease in the wake of last week's Cyclone Tomas.

First news of the fate of Rabi Island came out over the weekend with the head of the Rabi Council of Leaders Bauro Vanualailai getting a message out that the island "is…