By Linny Folau

Fiji Water valued at FJD$40,503 for communities severely affected by the volcanic eruption and tsunamis was donated by the Fiji Water Co. and Neptune Pacific Direct through their agent, Transam Tonga Ltd.

Two container loads of water were donated to the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO), consisting of 2422 bottles of Fiji water (1L and 1.5L).

Transam Tonga General Manager Joe Paasi handed over the donation to MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u, today, March 9.

Joe said the water is to help the communities that were severely affected by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunamis on 15 Jan.

This included Patangata, Sopu, Kanokupolu on Tongatapu and the islands of Mango, Fonoifua and Nomuka in Ha'apai, and any other affected areas.

On Feb. 25, they donated 40 cases of mutton flaps to NEMO to distribute to those in dire need, after the natural disasters, he said.

The company had also paid the freight and loading fees of two containers to allow Tongans in New Zealand to send over food and other relief supplies to their families in Tonga. These containers will be released this week to NEMO who will then offload the goods and announce for families to pick up, he said.

Fiji Water Co. Neptune Pacific Direct Line and Transam Tonga are all subsidies of the Wonderful Company operating in the United States.

The Wonderful Company, which expanded to the Pacific in recent years, hoped that this donation would help in some way to ease some of the burdens on those affected by the natural disasters.

Water priority

Paula in expressing Government's gratitude said the priority need for the people of Tonga now is water.

"The ashes from the volcanic eruption affected the drinking water and the tsunami generated by the eruption wiped out drinking water tanks in the most affected areas."

He thanked the Management of Fiji Water Co. and Neptune Pacific Direct Line for their support on behalf of the Prime Minister Hon Hu’akavameiliku and Deputy PM/MEIDECC Minister Hon Poasi Tei.