Riya Mala 
[Photo: File]
Fiji is pairing a five-fold increase in littering fines with a stronger enforcement network, acknowledging that the previous system was weakened by low detection rates.
The fixed penalty will increase from $40 to $200 on September 1, pending official gazetting.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Lynda Tabuya says the increase aims to deter offenders and change public behaviour, not generate revenue.
Tabuya says enforcement will be strengthened as municipal councils, the Fiji Police Force and the Land Transport Authority join the Litter Prevention Officers network.
“We’ll track how many notices are issued, where offences are occurring and whether behaviour is changing. Because we don’t want to simply assume the law is working, we need to prove that it is working. So, from the 1st of September, the people of Fiji should expect two things.”
She adds that officers will be trained to gather evidence and issue fixed penalty notices, while the Ministry tracks where offences are occurring and whether littering behaviour is changing.
Opposition MP Virendra Lal is questioning whether the new fine will be fair and enforceable, arguing that tougher penalties will not work without better waste infrastructure and consistent enforcement.
“The Minister has told this House that the fixed penalty for littering will rise from $40 to $200, a five-fold increase. I ask the Minister, where is the evidence base for that figure? Was this number modelled against comparable jurisdictions, or arrived at by other means?”
Tabuya says Fiji must adopt a reduce, reuse and recycle approach, urging individuals, businesses and councils to take greater responsibility for the waste they produce.
