Filipe Naikaso 
Vunato Landfill in Lautoka
Minister for Local Government, Maciu Nalumisa admits that anyone can access Vunato Landfill in Lautoka as they do not have strict security measures.
Nalumisa says because of this, there are allegations that scavengers walk in casually, and burn rubbish in order to get scrap metal from the dump.
FBC News understands this causes the long-standing issue of burning at the Vunato landfill, and as a result persistent smoke engulfs vast areas of Lautoka creating a health risk.
The health hazards posed by this issue have been raised repeatedly by the community, but their appeals seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
Now, Nalumisa has decided to take decisive steps, directing the Lautoka City Council to establish a dedicated project team tasked with devising a medium-term solution to tackle the problem.
“So what we’re trying to do now is come up with some strategies. Putting up more security is also the thing, putting up CCTV cameras everywhere so that people know that something is there to watch over them. And also, other things like maybe putting barricades or fences.”
The Minster says the issue should have been handled earlier but emphasized on the government’s commitment to finding a viable solution.
As the project team begins its task, the people of Lautoka remain hopeful that this initiative will lead to a tangible resolution, ending the era of suffocating smoke that has cast a shadow over their city for far too long.
Nalumisa adds by implementing stricter security measures and potentially exploring alternative waste management strategies, the team intends to curtail the activities of unauthorized individuals at the landfill.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
