WOMEN vendors selling produce along Fiji’s roads have been warned they are breaking the law unless they obtain approval from relevant authorities.
Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa told Parliament on Wednesday that roadside vending was illegal because most roadside areas were road reserves.
He said vendors needed consent from the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), while those operating on privately owned land could also be trespassing without the landowner’s approval.
The minister’s warning comes as the Government faces growing pressure to provide adequate space and facilities for women vendors, particularly those operating at popular roadside locations.
“Most of our vendors prefer to sell on the roadside,” Mr Nalumisa said, adding that some municipal markets had vacant spaces but vendors continued to operate outside.
He said the Government was working on a regulatory model to ensure “uniformity” and standard practices across municipalities.
