12 Apr 2007

New Zealand donate funds to help Fiji flood victims

1:45 pm on 12 April 2007

New Zealand will give Fiji 150,000 US dollars to support families struggling to recover after serious flooding.

The foreign minister, Winston Peters, says the recent floods on the island of Vanua Levu caused an estimated nine million US dollars in damage.

Mr Peters says many affected families are still struggling to regain a semblance of normal life, with their children and local schools having borne the brunt of the disaster.

He says New Zealand remains committed to helping ordinary Fijians in times of need.

But Mr Peters says New Zealand has taken a strong stand against the military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama and others involved in the overthrow of the Fiji government, including aid programme sanctions.