Permanent Secretary David Kolitagane.

The Ministry for Rural and Maritime Development says all budgets to build evacuation centres are currently on hold.

Following a trip to the Lau group, Permanent Secretary, David Kolitagane highlighted the assistance is seized due to limitations on the budget.

Kolitagane however, says the Ministry still has the list of requests from communities who need an evacuation centre.

He says with the assistance on hold, the Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Housing for other solutions.

He says these include designs approved by the Ministry which Fijians in rural and maritime can use.

“We are working closely with the Ministry for Housing to make sure that evacuation centre is at the household level. It’s still the same cost as the previous design, rural house design, it’s about $19,000 max or minimum and you can extend from that $19,000 investment.”

Kolitagane says the focus right now is to rebuild for the people in the Northern Division.

He says villages that are building their evacuation centres are being supported by designs from the Ministry.