Municipal councils have to be self sustaining, says Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

While speaking at the opening of the Ba municipal open market, he said councils needed to generate revenue that could ensure services were delivered to Fijians.

“The reality of the matter is municipal councils have to eventually be self-sustaining,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“They need to be able to create revenue, but also at the same time, they need to be able to provide services.

“This is why when we say that the market vendor doesn’t pay any fees, we are paying your fees to them.

“If we say don’t collect any fees, they no longer have any revenue.

“So we are giving them revenue on your behalf.

“So we need to be able to work along with these things on a commercial basis.

“That’s how things become sustainable.”

He added the Government’s payment of stall fees for vendors should relieve some pressure brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

“We are also paying all the market vendors’ fees because we also recognise because of COVID-19, because of various natural disasters there is a lot of pressure on market vendors.

“So this is why all your market fees are currently being paid by Government to the Ba Municipal Council and we’ve done that throughout Fiji, to all the municipal councils.”