There is a need to identify a suitable rubbish dump as there is none in the Nadi area and the Cabinet also reviewed and endorsed a proposal for a new landfill project in the Western Division.
Minister for Local Government and Housing, Maciu Nalumisa highlighted this in Parliament while speaking on the Nadi Town Council Annual Report for the Year 2016.
Nalumisa says they need to have a good waste management system in place to look after all the waste that is produced by all the municipalities within the Western Division.
He further says the Council is also working to change the name to King Charles Park because of the change in monarchy and the Council has also written to the British High Commission to give confirmation on the name changing.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says in the National Development Plan 2025-2029 one of the subchapters is devoted to the management system as Fiji is dealing with solid waste management issues.
Professor Prasad says there are different needs for activities that generate a lot of solid waste in informal settlements because there is no provision to dispose.
The Deputy Prime Minister says 0.2 percent of the total waste can be recycled in Fiji and disposal by the council is about 182,000 tonnes nationally and they are looking at how to increase recycling plants.
He further says the flood alleviation project is underway to reduce the flood risk which is a priority for the Nadi Town Council and government. Professor Prasad adds they have received a final technical report by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility Program.
While supporting the report, Opposition MP, Faiyaz Koya says it is crucial to identify a suitable dam site for the ratepayers of Nadi and save costs in terms of transportation of rubbish to Lautoka.
Meanwhile, Opposition MP, Hem Chand says identifying a suitable dump site somewhere in Nadi will save costs.
