Litia Cava 
[Nadi residents at the Budget Talks]
Waste management, energy use and policing gaps have emerged as key concerns in Nadi’s budget talks.
Residents say services are not keeping pace with growth. Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel said the discussions were among the most detailed so far.
He said business operators in tourism and development were heavily involved. Waste collection and keeping Nadi clean were major issues. Solar energy use and sustainability were also raised.
Fuel supply was not a major concern in this session, the Minister noted. Earlier submissions had focused more on that issue.
“There was a point raised regarding security, the budget for the police, an increase from last year in this national budget. Yes, a lot of them raised the issue about police presence, especially in town and in residential areas as well. So they’re coming up with community-based policing.”
Security concerns were also raised. Residents questioned police visibility in towns and residential areas.
Some called for stronger community-based policing.They want a more active presence in communities. Immanuel states the police budget has increased over several years.He says this includes more vehicles and new recruitment.
However, he questions whether performance has matched funding increases.He says this needs closer review with police leadership. He adds that budget increases are meant to improve frontline capacity.Thus, concerns remain about impact on the ground.
The Minister said the consultations would help shape future budget priorities. The 2026-2027 national budget consultations will continue in the Western Division this week.
