Tonga government approved today the Housing Reconstruction Strategy Featured
His Majesty’s Cabinet has approved today the Housing Reconstruction Strategy that will guide the construction of houses that had been fully destroyed during the Tropical Cyclone Gita on February 2018.
The initial survey conducted by the Statistics Department had recorded a total of 561 houses that were fully destroyed.
However, further verification will be jointly conducted by the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, to finally determine the actual beneficiaries’ eligibility to this reconstruction scheme, that is, those houses that were fully destroyed by TC Gita, but have not been rebuild to date.
The Government has availed a funding of T$25million towards this reconstruction project and the implementation, which will be led by the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI).
The housing package, approved within the strategy, consists of a timber framed house with reinforced concrete slab and foundation inclusive of electricity, water and sanitation amenities.
The eligible beneficiaries will also be required to contribute a cash deposit of 10% towards this reconstruction scheme.
The beneficiaries will be allowed to nominate their preferred contractor upon the approval by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
At the same time, the same Ministry will supervising this reconstruction project to ensure that “build back better” principal to reduce risks, and to promote resilience with higher living standard, and in preparation to future natural calamities.
Further details of the implementation of this project will be announced in due course.
