Having sufficient water supply is a major problem that villagers on the island of Vanuavatu in Lau have to go through daily.

Commissioner Eastern Colonel Ifereimi Vasu, who is accompanying the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau on this visit to Lau, told the villagers on Vanuavatu, who get their drinking water from Suva, that it costs Government $20,000 to cart water to the island.

Chairman of Vanuavatu District School Joji Mate said that this has been a problem ever since he was young, and it is unfortunate they cannot have the 'soli' at Christmas, as most of them are still trying to recover from the effects of the damages after Cyclone Tomas.

However, Mate said it is a sigh of relief as the Commissioner has agreed to supply them with water tanks to solve the problem on a short-term basis, and they have also agreed to assist in building two huge water tanks on a hill to source water for the whole village.

Other issues that were raised during the meeting with the President was the need to build proper fencing for the health centre in Vanuavatu as pigs walked freely into the compound and it is a risk to the sick people there and they even damaged the compound really badly.

The President has left Vanuavatu and is on his way to Oneata.