Municipal councils have been told to address the growing concerns raised by ratepayers.

This was highlighted by Minister for Local Government Maciu Nalumisa while speaking at the opening of the Municipal Councils CEOs and Special Administrators Forum in Lautoka.

Nalumisa states that recent public consultations have shed light on numerous complaints from ratepayers directed towards municipal councils.

He says these grievances predominantly revolve around miscellaneous issues and management shortcomings within the councils.

The Minister also challenged council officials to break away from office-centric micromanagement practices.

He stresses the importance of proactive engagement and urges them to focus on addressing the core concerns of ratepayers.

“We need to address the core issues that we have mandated, as special administrators, as CEOs of all the councils, we must make sure that we must deliver the services that we should deliver. The best of our abilities must make sure that you satisfy the demands of our ratepayers and the residents of our respective towns and cities. So I hope this is a time for us to discuss and share new ideas, new things.”

Furthermore, Nalumisa indicates the necessity for upgrading basic infrastructure to better accommodate residents’ needs.

In addition, he urges municipal councils to adopt innovative approaches and think outside conventional boundaries.

Nalumisa adds the importance of prioritizing key services and optimizing resources to meet the evolving needs of communities effectively.