Fiji damage ‘exaggerated’

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 1

Fiji damage ‘exaggerated’

NZPA special correspondent Suva The flood damage in Fiji had been highly exaggerated in reports, said

Fiji’s Minister for Economic Development, Planning and Tourism, Mr Peter Stinson. There had been a barrage of sensationalism about the flooding in Australia and New Zealand, he said. Ten people were reported to have died as a result of the floods. Mr Stinson said the "sensationalism” was harming the tourist industry in particular and tarnishing Fiji’s image overseas as a tourist destination. “The fact remains that Nandi international air-

port and tourist resorts have remained operational throughout. “Disruptions due to floods were in the central division including the Suva area.” A spokesman for the Fiji Visitors’ Bureau in Auckland said that tourists would not have any oroblems. The area affected was the Rewa River delta near Suva, some distance from the main tourist hotels, the spokesman said. The water supply was back to normal in Suva, except for the suburb of

Lami, he said. The authorities recommended that water be boiled as a precautionary measure. Residents had been advised to get vaccinations, although there had been no outbreaks of disease. All. roads were open apart from a section of the Kings Road, round the north of the island. The break was at Korovou, where a bridge had been washed out Travellers were being ferried across the river from Rakiraki to Korovou, the spokesman said.