TITIANA evacuation centre and community hall were officially handed over to the people of Titiana by the First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan Yoko Asano, Tuesday.
Accompanied by the Grassroot Project Coordinator of the Embassy of Japan, Ms Hiro Takegami (GPC), the ceremony was witnessed by Titiana village community leaders, educators and community members.
Addressing the guests in her speech Ms Asano said she was honoured to be present as a witness to the completion of ‘The Project for the Construction of Titiana Community Hall and Evacuation Centre’ under the Embassy of Japan’s Grassroot and Human Security Project Scheme (GHSPS).
The project was signed in January 2019 between the Embassy of Japan and the Western Provincial Disaster Management Office (WPDMO).
Japan had contributed about $710,000 Solomon dollars in total towards building the evacuation facility in Tsunami hazard areas.
Ms Asano explained that under the GHSP scheme, disaster management projects is an area of priority focused on for human security f the people of Solomon Islands.
“Therefore, the Embassy of Japan is willing to continue our efforts in assistance to see more happy faces in many places of Solomon Islands and cultivate a cordial relationship between Japan and Solomon Islands,” she said.
First Secretary Asano took the time to share empathy for those who had lost loved ones 13 years ago during the tsunami and earthquake double disaster in 2007.
“There are many aspects which we need to look at in minimizing the damages from disaster and one of them is early evacuation.
“Taking special caution is everyone’s business once bad weather is expected or at times of earthquakes,” she said.
Reassuring the Embassy of Japan’s support for communities to minimize the possibility of future damage from disaster as it is an unpredictable natural power.
“Needless to say, we like to utilize the centre well as well as its maintenance while being good advocators of national disasters,” said Ms Asano.
Because of the tragedy faced and overcome by many in Titiana, Asano hopes that the facility would be used effectively for the benefit of many people as well as used as a centre for advocating the prevention and precaution against disaster times.
As a representative of the people of Japan, Asano encourages the community to look after the gift and maintain it as they in Japan have been taught since to look after their belongings from childhood.
Witnessed by the Western Provincial Minister of Health and Provincial Member for Gizo John Wale, Western National Disaster Management Officer Danny Ruel, Titiana School Committee members, the cutting of the ribbon was made.
“Now we are handing the building to the community, now all responsibility is in your hands. Representing people in Japan, we would like you to think of maintaining this building not only for your time but for the next generation.”
The key to the building was handed over by the First Secretary of the Embassy to the community and school representative.
