Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: File]
People living near the Fiji Meat Abattoir in Nakasi may have to wait longer before the facility is relocated to a new site.
Following concerns from members of the public over years of persistent odour, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts earlier this week questioned the Fiji Meat Industry about its relocation plans.
Standing Committee member Hem Chand says residents have raised concerns over the persistent smell coming from the abattoir in Nakasi.
“They have been raising a lot of concern, the bad smell which is coming out of the abattoir. And then in that area, we also have primary school and secondary school, and that area is a very heavily populated area.”
Fiji Meat Industry Chief Executive Apenisa Rokodaru says relocation of the Nakasi abattoir is currently restricted.
“FMIB premises was actually visited by the Honorable Minister for Public Enterprise, who has actually put restrictions to relocate, for the company to relocate.”
However, Rokodaru says the company has been told to take other measures to address the issue.
“We are coming up with mechanisms to be able to reduce the odour so that we oblige with instruction from the Honorable Minister and also be able to remove the odour and especially from the rendering plan that is creating that nuisance to the public.”
The Nakasi abattoir is located near both a primary and secondary school, with calls for its relocation continuing as the surrounding population grows.
