A civil engineer in Fiji is concerned about the lack of education and training for local consultants involved in rebuilding of infrastructure following disaster damage.
Pacific small island states are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the impacts of major disasters including cyclones, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
Pratap Singh says it is crucial for effective risk management that structures are well built.
"I'm saying that in the area of building and construction industries there should be competent engineers, with good experience and good engineering background, qualification wise, there should be decent technologists and technicians. So once you can improve on that, then of course identifying a problem is easier, assessing a problem is easier, and then once you've assessed with good competence then you can find a good solution as well."
A Fiji civil engineer Pratap Singh.
