Budget constraints are one of the most serious limitations that Fiji faced with regards to pre-disaster investments.

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasa Ditoka emphasized this during the Asia Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Sendai, Japan.

Ditoka says the government takes its role of being a champion of disaster risk reduction very seriously and is committed to ensuring that lives and livelihoods of people are safeguarded from the impacts of natural disasters.

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasa Ditoka. [Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

He adds limited fiscal space and our narrow economic base limits our ability to consistently maintain funding for DRR activities.

[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

The minister says the loss of skilled manpower due to migration and other factors, particularly in government agencies were hampering Fiji’s efforts to promote pre-disaster investment.