Apenisa Waqairadovu 
[File Photo]
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua has called for a waste audit in rural and maritime communities.
The assistant minister says rural communities are seeing a significant increase in waste production, raising important questions about responsibility.
Qereqeretabua has called for all levels of traditional leadership to address the problem.
“We need to have rural development and itaukei affairs be part of this so that when there’s a next bose ni yasana, the leadership of the villagers, the leadership of the yavusa or the tikina, or the yasana is reminded that this is something that they need to keep their eyes on, and with policies from the government, this is something that everyone can have an eye on.”
Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Lenora Qereqeretabua.
Qereqeretabua, who frequently visits her home island Kadavu, says the waste problem in rural areas needs to be assessed to determine its magnitude.
“This is one thing we really need to have done in the rural areas: to do rubbish audits in the rural areas, and I reckon two things that are going to be on top of the list are diapers and PET bottles.”
Qereqeretabua says that, to influence change, every individual, regardless of their geographical location, needs to step up and address the waste crisis in the country.
She stresses that, in maritime communities, a large amount of waste is being washed ashore.
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