At least four permanent secretaries are discussing ways to enhance enforcement of the Litter Act to combat Fiji’s swelling rubbish crisis.
The issue of litter was also brought up during widespread flooding in the country last week, attributed to the drains clogged with green and plastic waste — resulting in poor drainage during the heavy downpour.
In fact, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change permanent secretary Dr Sivendra Michael said Fiji needs more than just mindset change, but “real, affirmative action”.
He said he and his fellow permanent secretaries from the Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, and Ministry of Tourism, had come together to discuss what more needed to be done to curb this burgeoning issue.
“We are also working internally within the ministry to try and see areas where we can enhance our enforcement of our Litter Act,” he said.
“The four of us have been informally discussing whether it is a reform of the Litter Act, to increase the fine, or whether it is more enforcement training and the issuing of the fines, so that it can make people accountable.
“I think it’s important for us to recognise that the litter in the drains, it’s a big issue. It’s a contributor to the floods.”
Dr Michael also spoke about the need to have a relook at Fiji’s drainage systems to mitigate risks during adverse weather patterns.
“I think the starting point is, who is responsible and how do we get together to address the root causes, and drainage is one of them.
“I think it’s a packaged approach. It’s not only the Litter Act. It’s everything that needs to go together, the enforcement, the regulations that are there in terms of the fines.
“If you take it from an economic perspective, a person that’s fined $40 for putting their rubbish outside their house, as opposed to the cost of someone coming to pick up that rubbish and taking it to Naboro Landfill, it’s far more.
“So, they would rather pay the $40 fine, than incur the heavy fees.”
According to Dr Michael, this mindset needed to change, and there is a need for better enforcement of the regulations that Fiji has in place.
“Maybe we need to relook at the existing fines that we are imposing and perhaps, even have a more stringent fine in countries across the Pacific.
“Some countries I know, they have very high fines, and this kind of makes the people realise that throwing rubbish outside the car or just anywhere is not the way.”
