Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Traditional landowners of the Naboro Landfill will receive a higher community levy under a revised agreement approved by Cabinet.
The levy paid to the Yavusa Bativudi will increase from 78 to 85 cents for every tonne of waste received at the landfill.
Speaking in Parliament, Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya says while the landfill is on State freehold land, it is ancestral land of the Yavusa Bativudi.
She says Government wants to ensure the community receives tangible benefits from the use of its land.
The community levy has been in place since 2014, with funds supporting education, housing, village development, investment, funerals and other community needs.
The Yavusa Bativudi requested a review of the levy in 2024, including an increase and fairer distribution of the benefits.
Tabuya says Government consulted the community, the iTaukei Affairs Board and relevant agencies before conducting a cost-benefit analysis.
Cabinet approved the revised agreement in July, with the funds to be divided equally across education, village housing, capital development, village development, and funeral and village functions.
The revised agreement will run for five years, from July 2024 to June 2029.
