Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau says irresponsible and illegal waste disposal is a major factor behind the severe flooding that hit several Central Division communities on Sunday night.
He confirms inspections found drains and waterways clogged with rubbish, which contributed to the rapid rise of floodwaters.
“One of the main issues is the dumping of rubbish into the drainage system. They had to dig up the Suva bus stand after resurfacing because of blockages,”
The Minister says agencies have been directed to work more closely, after many residents reported facing some of the worst flooding in years.
Tuisawau adds that the Fiji Roads Authority and Suva City Council have been told to find long-term solutions and reassess existing infrastructure.
“We also need to reassess current infrastructure, the increase in population, and informal settlements encroaching into road reserves and drainage areas. These all need to be taken into account,”
Most of the areas affected were informal settlements, where government says poor planning, population growth, and illegal dumping have worsened flooding risks.
Government maintains it is doing what it can to support affected families.
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