The new rebuilt buildings at Titiana Village after the April 02, 2017 magnitude 8.2 earthquake and Tsunami in Western Province. Photo by TEZIKA RIAZ

2007 TSUNAMI victims who were settled at Mile-2 graveyard area have now relocated and have settled back in their own villages in west Gizo.

Most villagers are from Titiana, Nikunau and Niumanda and other neighbouring villages who were badly affected during the April-2-2007 tsunami.

John Mewaki told Island Sun Gizo yesterday said the villagers are however faced with difficulties in accessing proper water supply, sanitation and other pending matters that the government have not yet rehabilitated for the communities.

“We have now rebuilt our own homes to our coastal sites because it’s nearly 11 years now. Therefore, we are calling on the current government both provincial and national to look very seriously on our issue affecting us.

“We have not yet seen any rehabilitation work within the area and most people who settled at Mile two areas have now returned homes due to difficulties faced by villagers,” said Mewaki.

Mewaki said they have heard of the $15 million post government rehabilitation fund in 2008, but have never received anything.

“The government never cared to rehabilitate us the people of Titiana by way of supplying building materials to rebuild our homes.”

He said the government of Solomon Islands must be transparent and fair to its people who are still crying for help.

Island Sun understands that Gizo-Kolombangara Constituency has been allocated $2.75 million from the $15 million post Tsunami Rehabilitation fund.

The money was said to have been distributed to 11 affected constituencies in Western and Choiseul provinces around January 2008 during the reign of Dr Derek Sikua’s Coalition for National Unity and Rural Advancement Government (CNURA).