Local Government Minister, Premila Kumar

Laxity on the part of Municipal Council workers has resulted in a large number of illegal roadside stalls in the Suva Nausori corridor.

Local Government Minister, Premila Kumar says the workers have been making money from stall owners and allowing the structure to be built.

Kumar says council workers need to follow the bylaws as some illegal stalls are being built on top of drains and waterway

“There are two things here, as a vendor I know that I cannot build a stall on the roadside. Similarly, as a vendor, if I am going to give the money to someone that means I am bribing the officer for my gain. Then on the other hand the officer who is taking the bribe knows that you can’t do that. The bylaw doesn’t allow you to build illegal structures on the roadside. So it’s two parties that are involved in these corrupt practices.”

Kumar says they receive cases of corruption in the municipal council regularly and this has been reported to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The Minister had previously highlighted that a staff member of the Nausori Town Council was sacked for alleged corruption.