Residents of the Northern Division came together to gather hundreds of dollars and various supplies to support victims of Cyclone Oscar in Viti Levu. According to a report from 1993, various groups including student bodies, schools, Rotary Club, Apex Club, Jaycees, the Labasa Red Cross, sports organizations, religious groups, and women’s clubs rallied to collect funds and clothing for the EMSEC and the Prime Minister’s Hurricane Relief Committee for distribution.
Commissioner Northern Gaya Prasad noted that around $1,000 and approximately 50 bags of clothing had been collected from the Labasa community. He mentioned that attempts were made to solicit contributions from various government departments within the Northern Division, although many organizations opted to send their donations directly to the EMSEC office or to their main offices in Suva.
The Labasa branch of the National Federation Party established the Vanua Levu Oscar Relief Committee specifically to gather cash and clothing for those affected by the cyclone. Chairman Subarmani Basawaiya reported that contributions were sent straight to victims in the Western Division due to delays in relief distribution by government entities. He added that the Lautoka-based vessel Leiyadali departed Labasa for Lautoka with the first shipment of relief goods collected by the committee, with the vessel’s owner, Charles Whippy, waiving any transportation fees.
Relief items were distributed from the Soni Samaj Hall in Nadi, with significant amounts gathered from the residents of Nagigi. The Rotary Club of Labasa contributed a $500 check while Red Cross members in Labasa conducted house-to-house collections. Local Scouts, Girl Guides, and Red Cross clubs organized events like mufti days and bottle collections in primary and secondary schools to gather additional funds.
For instance, St Mary’s Primary School held a mufti day, raising about $150 for Cyclone Oscar victims. The Macuata Muslim League also reached out to all Muslim schools in Vanua Levu for contributions. Devotees from the Labasa Shri Sathya Sai Baba Society sent $200 and clothing to their headquarters in Suva, while members of the Gujerati Samaj in Labasa continued to send cash donations to their center in Suva.
The Labasa Chamber of Commerce raised over $500 through its relief collection efforts, and the Labasa Merchants Club donated $200 each to Nadi and Sigatoka Town Councils to assist in relief operations. Additionally, the Labasa Market Vendors Association had already raised $350, aiming to collect at least $500 for the cyclone victims.