Dear Dick,

I have now assessed the suitability of TARAcrete Roofing Tiles for the homes being built by the Rotary Club of Ba at Anandpur Valele, Ba.

I have read the pamphlets, manufacturing manual. and all the supporting documents made available to me. I have also seen the materials being used, the set up/the factory and the /of method of manufacture. The one change I would recommend is that the sand should be screened as sometimes Babri seeds get mixed up and they tend to germinate even after several months of installation.

As Fiji is in a cyclone prone region and falls within the same belt as Papua New Guinea and Melanesian group South of Equator. 1 would recommend that in addition of the recommended rows to be double lugged (the ends and sides) every alternate rows should also be double lugged and tied as recommended.

This procedure will provide for every tile over-lapped and tied down to the purlins. I have seen the trusses for the roofs and am satisfied that it is of appropriate design and the tiles fitted as recommended will sustain high velocity wind gust speeds of 65 metres per second which is also recommended in the National Building Code, and Home Building Manual. for Fiji.

The siting of the Rotacottages are away from the seaside in a sheltered valley (terrain category 2½) and I have no hesitation in recommending the use of TARAcrete Roofing to replace the corrugated iron roofing.

I wish to applaud the Rotary Club of Ba for introducing this new low costs concept which uses local raw materials and labour

The product has a lot of relevance to Fiji and can also be used to replace grass in the traditional. Fijian Bures in the villages

There is a saving in foreign exchange as nothing will be imported.

As the product will have no maintenance and requires no painting I suggest the appropriate authorities in Rural Housing Department should be appraised of it.

K Naicker
Structural Consultant