Page 23 - IB MAR 2019

Profile

Restoring a piece of heaven

WITH the blessings of his family and the support of his em-
ployer, Mosese Sikivou headed to Fiji days after Category 5
Tropical Cyclone Winston caused widespread destructions in
his home country. In nine days, he had to identify and fix the
water supply for his mother in law’s village of Mavana, in Lau
Province, and train villagers on how to build back faster and
stronger.
“It was a shock to see the condition of the dams and the
spring pond. We assessed the dam and found leaks at the base
the wall. We then walked the line to see if there were any pipe
bursts. In the review of the system we identified significant
damage from the cyclone and burning of vegetation to the pipe
network as well as breaks in numerous locations.
Given the size of the task, we travelled to the New Zealand
Army base on the island to find out how they could help meet
our request for materials and expertise. We requested; New tarp floor for village dam in Mavana in Lau.
• The local access ways be cleared so that the villages can
get back to farming.
• Ten tarps and tape to create a swimming pool effect in the After patching the pipes, we turned the valves on in the dam
dam as a trial, to determine how much manpower we would so that we could test the line. We then tracked back to the vil-
require to complete the final work. I did not want to over lage reservoir to check and to our surprise, it filled up well. The
work the team of close to 50 strong men. villages were able to get clean drinking once again. So we were
• Ten bags of cement if the trial worked. able to reinstate their water supply and provide and backup
• Like all good plans I had a back-up plan. The village church drinking water supply. We also helped oversee the restoration
tank stores about 100,000 litres and this has supplied their of access roads to neighbouring villages and farms.
drinking water over the years. We suggested to the NZ army Before leaving, I spent time with the village builders and
that they provide a mobile desalination plant to refill the explained how buildings are to be constructed, detailed and
tanks. strapped, to at least stand a chance in other cyclones. I selected
All four requests were agreed to by the New Zealand Army one of the men in the village that showed very good workman-
and I thank God for that. ship and was a good communicator to briefly train. I also had
We had graders, diggers and a truck full for soldiers with to teach him about workplace safety.
chainsaws ready to go; all we had to do was point them in the I just wanted this once so beautiful village back to where
right direction. They worked 72 hours straight to fill the village it belonged. A lost piece of heaven in the heart of the Pacific
church tank. Real champions they were. Ocean.”

So the table really does turn.” Fiji Marriott Resort, the Hilton Beach Resort and Spa on Denarau
In addition to high profile projects in Qatar and Dubai, Sikivou Island as well as on Mago Island, the private island that belongs
through his work with Jacobs has also been involved in some to Hollywood actor Mel Gibson.
huge engineering projects in Australia. Chapman, his senior Widespread destruction caused by super cyclone Winston at
projects manager outlined a few. his mother-in-law’s village in eastern Fiji in 2016 offered young
-The Roy Hill project was a $10.5 billion iron ore mine and Sikivou the opportunity to put his engineering expertise to good
associated infrastructure project to mine, transport, and ship up use at home.
to 55Mtpa of ore, with Mo being involved in the Port Landside Strong family support and a rich heritage of outstanding public
package worth around $1 billion. service in Fiji has undoubtedly helped. Sikivou’s father is a suc-
Mo was part of the team that carried out the Technical Due cessful hotelier while his grandfather Semesa Koroikilai Sikivou
Diligence of the Port of Melbourne transaction for the Victorian was a leading Fijian academic, politician and diplomat. When Fiji
Government that resulted in a $10.7 billion 50 year lease. gained independence from Great Britain in 1970, founding Prime
Sikivou is currently engaged on the AU$1.2 billion Light Rail Minister the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara appointed Sikivou’s
Project in Sydney. grandfather as Fiji’s first Permanent Representative to the United
Will he want to return home with his family one day? The Nations based in New York.
question was also put to Sikivou: “I’ve been blessed by the people, family members especially
“I have always had a vision for Fiji where I would like our my wife, friends, co-workers and managers who have helped
infrastructure to move into the future. I would like to return one me grow personally and professionally. I recall the help my first
day to make this dream come true however for now I’m still cousin Seini Nawai gave me to enable me to get into FIT, my Dad’s
chasing a few personal goals.” older brother Navitalai Sikivou whom I lived with while at school
Sikivou did work at home after he graduated with an advanced in Suva, my namesake who is Dad’s younger brother, Mosese
diploma in civil engineering from the then Fiji Institute of Technol- Sikivou and Mara Sikivou, for their support and encouragement.
ogy in 2004. He joined Sinclair, Knight, Merz (which has been Most of all I just want to thank God for the way He opens doors
bought since by Jacobs) and worked in several projects including and provides opportunities to be blessed.”
the Momi Bay road upgrade and water supply for what is now the r editor@islandsbusiness.com

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