Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) in collaboration with Emergency Management Cook Islands (EMCI), a division in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), has announced the commencement of the Rarotonga Safety Shelter Programme (RSSP).

The programme was established in 2021 to support remediation works to community/public buildings designated or identified as suitable cyclone shelters, CIIC said in a statement. Through collaborative efforts and careful management, the programme aims to ensure that a significant portion of Rarotonga’s population has access to safe shelters during emergencies. The programme represents a crucial step towards enhancing both our local and visitor community resilience to cyclones and other disasters.

The programme and proposed process has been trialled with Nikao CICC Hall undergoing rehabilitative works to improve its structural condition and the renovation of the “Te Kapua’Anga O Te Evangelia Meeting House”, commonly called the Takuvaine Meeting House. Both projects were successfully completed.

Using the lessons-learned from these pilot projects, a detailed framework has now been established and approved which guides the roll-out and decision-making steps for the available funding.

The framework establishes that communities will have access to the fund on a first-come-first-serve basis, provided that the identified hall has been assessed by CIIC and EMCI for suitability as shelter, that all required documents are in order and sufficient funds are available for that financial year.

Furthermore, the RSSP Framework outlines that available Cook Islands Government contribution per community hall is capped at NZ$100,000.

“The shelter owner/community can raise any additional funds required to complete the agreed renovation work and must have these funds available to be considered under the programme,” the statement said.

Takuvaine Meeting House, Rarotonga – identified as a potential cyclone shelter. Image taken before the completed refurbishments carried out with part RSSP funds in 2023. CIIC/24122207

Prime Minister Mark Brown said: “The Cook Islands is focused on planning for our future, ensuring we take the necessary steps today to maintain a thriving community for generations to come. Paruru I te iti tangata, paruru I te Ipukarea.”

According to Albert Nicholas, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for CIIC, the programme is aimed at safeguarding people in the event of a natural disaster by building on the infrastructure that already exists within the communities, physically improving them to better withstand the storms ahead.

“CIIC partnering with EMCI and OPM shows the level of commitment our agencies are making to undertake this work.”

EMCI director John Strickland said the RSSP has been successfully piloted with two halls already.

“Now we look at the wider Rarotonga community and start to work with each halls executive management committee to improve their buildings infrastructure to be compliant with the 2019 Cook Islands Building Code and other safety shelter design guidelines,” Strickland said.

“I encourage all interested parties to engage with us on this piece of work.”

The executives of all eligible community halls will be contacted by CIIC and EMCI over the coming weeks with additional detail regarding the application process. In addition, any queries regarding the programme can be directed to ciic.rsspcoordinator@cookislands.gov.ck.