All 14 provincial conservation officers have been appointed as litter prevention officers to enforce the Litter Act in iTaukei communities.
Minister for Environment Lynda Tabuya told Parliament the appointments followed a resolution of the National iTaukei Resource Owners Committee (NTROC).
“The role of our ministry is through the National iTaukei Resource Owners Committee or NTROC. Established under the Environment Management Act, the committee advises on environmental matters affecting resource owners’ natural resources.”
Ms Tabuya was responding to a question from Assistant Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Naisa Tuinaceva on initiatives supporting iTaukei communities in climate resilience, adaptation and environmental management.
She said the ministry had an annual allocation of $100,000 for awareness training for resource owners.
“At the committee’s request, the ministry held environmental impact assessment sessions at Cogea Village in Bua last November and Waiqanake Village in Rewa in March, reaching nearly 80 communities.”
Ms Tabuya said enforcement had also been strengthened through the appointment of conservation officers.
“In line with the committee’s resolution, all 14 provincial conservation officers have been appointed litter prevention officers among the 374 other public officers that have been appointed since 2024.
“So, every province has an officer able to enforce the Litter Act as amended.”
On waste management, she said awareness programs in Bua, Macuata, Ba and the Lau Group had distributed 91 compost bins to 35 villages. She said composting training under the Jeff Islands Project would be extended to 25 communities across 10 provinces.
“The access and benefit sharing policy, which was launched in May this year, will further safeguard traditional knowledge and the rights of resource-owning communities.”
Ms Tabuya said Fiji’s second National Adaptation Plan was being finalised, while the third nationally determined contribution had been submitted in November last year.
