The villagers final get their new homes

Good News.  On 16^th May 2013 the community and regional government were finally in a position to start the relocation process.

Community leaders came to the Camat’s office on the mainland to discuss the move and then to sign their individual agreements that would allow them to move.

At the meeting the status of the mosque was discussed and the Camat promised the new building would be finished within 7 days.

With so many families involved, it was agreed that the signing ceremony would continue on the Island everything was boxed up and transported to Sunut.

There, the old mosque was converted into a notaries office with 109 families pouring in to sign for their new homes, receive their keys and count the cash OBRI provided to help them move!

By the time we were finished it was dark and the boat journey back to the mainland proved to be another fun experience no one would forget. With the tide at its lowest point, we were forced to wade over half a km in the dark from the boat to reach the mainland.  

Behind the scenes it was a difficult situation with the regional government again. Petty bureaucracy, red tape and no one capable of take responsibility for the process mean OBRI had to push everything through. The agreed deadline had been 11^th May, so you would expect all departments to be ready. Once again, it was not the case with one letter missing that everyone knew was required. Well it was the election season so there were better things to do that actually working.