THE Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) has called for stricter, mandatory health inspections on domestic vessels following a wave of public complaints regarding poor sanitation and pest control on ships.
Appearing before the Standing Committee on Social Affairs yesterday to submit feedback on the Public Health Amendment Bill (Bill No. 4, 2026), MSAF officials admitted that while they conduct basic surveys, they lack the specialised expertise to properly evaluate public health hazards.
“We do spot checks, but the expert observation rests with the Ministry of Health,” explained MSAF representative Tui Kilakila.
“We are more focused on what we can visually observe on the ships.”
Committee chair Praveen Bala questioned why MSAF does not tie public health conditions directly to ship licensing, noting that the committee receives numerous health-related complaints from passengers.
In response, Mr Kilakila clarified that no vessel passes inspection without required Ministry of Health clearances for sanitation, hygiene, and fumigation.
To seal existing gaps, MSAF proposed a critical legislative amendment to Section 54 of the Bill.
They urged that the clause stating a health inspector “may” conduct routine inspections be altered to “shall” or “must.”
Furthermore, MSAF requested a mandatory second inspection after fumigation to ensure vermin are entirely eliminated.
The Parliamentary Committee expressed full support for the Bill and recommended heightened collaboration between maritime and health authorities.
MSAF was also asked to submit formal recommendations on fine levels for non-compliant ship operators.
