Opposition Member of Parliament, Premila Kumar is calling for a stricter enforcement of existing litter laws, stating that that awareness campaigns alone are insufficient.

While responding to ministerial statement by Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu on National Anti-Litter Campaign, Kumar
highlighted the long-standing struggle to combat littering problems.

Bulitavu says waste is abandoned on beaches, scattered in drains and deposited on roadsides and this practice is not perpetuated by all, but is normalized by many and it is a shame.

He says in response to the ongoing challenge, the Ministry launched a Do the Right Thing national campaign.

However, Kumar states that public awareness alone is not enough to change behavior.

“We teach our children to protect the environment, yet when they go home, they are told by the parents, go outside and dump this rubbish. Why, Mr. Speaker, sir? Because they are households that do not have access to regular and reliable waste collection services. And we must change this behavior.”

Kumar stresses that there is a need for well-placed litter bins, reliable waste collection systems, and strict enforcement of litter laws.

“If we want to clean up our streets and protect our environment, we need a real commitment to make waste management a national infrastructure priority. And for that, money is needed. If you don’t put money into collection services, forget about just simple campaigns and the stock shop that we normally have.”

Bulitavu says they have trained and appointed 57 litter prevention officers, with plans to train 500 government officers by the end of the year.

He says training sessions are scheduled for the Fiji Police Force, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, and the Land Transport Authority.

Bulitavu also highlighted that spot fines have been issued at major sporting events to deter littering.

He is also calling on Fijians to take personal responsibility for waste management.

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