Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is expected to visit the cyclone affected areas from today.

He is expected to tour the Eastern parts of the Northern division, the Lomaiviti and the Lau groups.

Commodore Bainimarama has already stressed that he wants all schools and medical centres affected by Hurricane Tomas to open as soon as possible.

The RFMF Territorial Engineers have already been deployed to assist in the rehabilitation work.

Meanwhile Education Minister, Filipe Bole is now awaiting damage analysis reports from the Education officers surveying schools in Cakaudrove, Macuata and Bua before visiting the schools next week to provide the needed assistance.

Bole said he expects to receive the reports today and will be in the Northern division next Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said the assistance provided to the damaged schools will be in the forms of grants and additional help to speed the rehabilitation process.

He said all schools affected by Hurricane Tomas will have their grants released by next week and while they are awaiting confirmation from the Education Officers on the number of schools damaged, the Ministry is prepared to disburse tuition and boarding grants for these schools.
 
Bole said the Ministry is targeting boarding schools that were affected, as these schools= plantation and farms would have been severely damaged affecting food supplies for students.

 
A group of 4 groups of education officers are surveying schools in Cakaudrove while 3 groups are in Macuata and Bua and their report will provide the Ministry with a comprehensive analysis of damage to schools= infrastructure and facilities.