16 Inclusive Resilience: Incorporating the Indigenous …
307
Additionally, whether geared towards compliance or not, there is a need to provide
guidance for resilient housing design and construction through codes and standards.
Cyclone Winston had elicited efforts to upgrade the National Building Code of
Fiji (Lacanivalu 2018). Primarily, the aim is to consider upgrading the design wind
speeds to resist Category 5 cyclones. However, this also opens possibilities to look
into the other aspects of the Fijian Building Code, which has never been updated
since its inception in 1991 (Fiji Building Standards Committee 1990).
16.6.3 Regard for Informal Practices in Government Policies
and Programmes
Proposition 3: Post-disaster reconstruction policies and programmes are
inflexible towards informal and indigenous practices
On 14 April 2016, the Fijian Government launched the Help for Homes Initiative (Ministry of Communications 2016). The programme was intended to support
low-income Fijians, i.e. those earning FJD 50,000 (approx. USD 23,000) or less,
who either lost their homes or had significant housing damage due to Cyclone
Winston in the rebuild process. Homeowners were issued electronic cards that can
be used at government-approved hardware stores to purchase materials for repair or
reconstruction.
People whose houses sustained minor damage were eligible for a grant amounting
to FJD 1,500 (USD 700). Those with roofs completely damaged were granted FJD
3,000 (USD 1,400). Homeowners whose homes were destroyed by the cyclone were
eligible to receive FJD 7,000 (USD 3,250). Meanwhile, houses situated in informal
settlements were only entitled to a maximum of FJD 1,500 (USD 700) financial
assistance regardless of the level of damage sustained. Programme recipients were
able to use the electronic cards to purchase materials from the hardware starting 9
May 2016, which marks the eightieth day since Cyclone Winston’s onset.
The programme is coupled with the Build Back Safer programme of the government and comes with guide on how to reconstruct a house developed by the Shelter
Cluster, which is handed to the beneficiary upon claiming the electronic card. The
guide, however, shows a house with a contemporary design. This concern is closely
tied to the concern on the recognition of indigenous structures in the code because
the non-government organisations involved in the shelter cluster are compelled to
comply with the code.
The financial support released through e-cards could only be used in accredited
hardware stores. While this particular measure is good in regard to ensuring that the
grant is used for house rebuilding, such is restrictive towards the reconstruction of
bure structures. The materials necessary for rebuilding or repairing a bure cannot be
bought from hardware stores because they are typically sourced from forestland or
mangrove areas near the village. And while these materials can be harvested for free,
monetary assistance is needed in terms of logistics and transportation. Significant
costs are incurred in harvesting the materials and transporting them to the village.
307
Additionally, whether geared towards compliance or not, there is a need to provide
guidance for resilient housing design and construction through codes and standards.
Cyclone Winston had elicited efforts to upgrade the National Building Code of
Fiji (Lacanivalu 2018). Primarily, the aim is to consider upgrading the design wind
speeds to resist Category 5 cyclones. However, this also opens possibilities to look
into the other aspects of the Fijian Building Code, which has never been updated
since its inception in 1991 (Fiji Building Standards Committee 1990).
16.6.3 Regard for Informal Practices in Government Policies
and Programmes
Proposition 3: Post-disaster reconstruction policies and programmes are
inflexible towards informal and indigenous practices
On 14 April 2016, the Fijian Government launched the Help for Homes Initiative (Ministry of Communications 2016). The programme was intended to support
low-income Fijians, i.e. those earning FJD 50,000 (approx. USD 23,000) or less,
who either lost their homes or had significant housing damage due to Cyclone
Winston in the rebuild process. Homeowners were issued electronic cards that can
be used at government-approved hardware stores to purchase materials for repair or
reconstruction.
People whose houses sustained minor damage were eligible for a grant amounting
to FJD 1,500 (USD 700). Those with roofs completely damaged were granted FJD
3,000 (USD 1,400). Homeowners whose homes were destroyed by the cyclone were
eligible to receive FJD 7,000 (USD 3,250). Meanwhile, houses situated in informal
settlements were only entitled to a maximum of FJD 1,500 (USD 700) financial
assistance regardless of the level of damage sustained. Programme recipients were
able to use the electronic cards to purchase materials from the hardware starting 9
May 2016, which marks the eightieth day since Cyclone Winston’s onset.
The programme is coupled with the Build Back Safer programme of the government and comes with guide on how to reconstruct a house developed by the Shelter
Cluster, which is handed to the beneficiary upon claiming the electronic card. The
guide, however, shows a house with a contemporary design. This concern is closely
tied to the concern on the recognition of indigenous structures in the code because
the non-government organisations involved in the shelter cluster are compelled to
comply with the code.
The financial support released through e-cards could only be used in accredited
hardware stores. While this particular measure is good in regard to ensuring that the
grant is used for house rebuilding, such is restrictive towards the reconstruction of
bure structures. The materials necessary for rebuilding or repairing a bure cannot be
bought from hardware stores because they are typically sourced from forestland or
mangrove areas near the village. And while these materials can be harvested for free,
monetary assistance is needed in terms of logistics and transportation. Significant
costs are incurred in harvesting the materials and transporting them to the village.