The reconstruction of destroyed homes in the Ha'apai group by Cyclone Ian on 11 January, stepped up another gear this week, with the arrival in Pangai, Lifuka island of the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, Lord Ma'afu and 30 staff. 

The team will start working to determine land-boundaries and land-ownership on the sites of damaged homes, so that reconstruction could start as soon as possible.

The CEO of the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, 'Asipeli Palaki said that an advance group of their 30-members team including a geologist, surveyors and labourers left on the ferry MV 'Otuanga'ofa for Ha'apai on Monday. The Minister, Lord Ma'afu, flew to Ha'apai today and the rest of the team left on board one of the Tonga Navy's patrol boats this afternoon. 

'Asipeli said that the ascertaining of the location, size and the ownership of residential homes is a strict requirement by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank before they embark on the reconstruction of homes in Ha'apai that were destroyed by Cyclone Ian.

'Asipeli said that they carried out the same exercise in Niuatoputapu after residential homes were washed away by the tsunami in 2009.

He said that the work in Ha'apai would be a little bit easier because there was no need for relocation of settlements as it was in Niuatoputapu.

He expected the work to be completed within a month.