People of Lautoka can look forward to a much cleaner environment and a more efficient waste collection service with the donation of a new five tonne Compactor Garbage truck worth $220,000 by the Government of Japan.
Speaking at the handover ceremony today, Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar says as a result of the high population and economic growth, the waste generation now amounts to 80 tonnes daily in Lautoka which is increasing on a yearly basis.
She says Lautoka has a steady rise in population and economic growth wherein the 1997 census, the population for Lautoka was 52,220. By the 2017 census, she says the population had risen to 71,578.
She says the Lautoka City Council spends at least $310,000.00 annually on Garbage collecting services, while an average of $400,000.00 is spent annually on the Vunato Landfill.
Kumar says the Lautoka City Council currently has three 9 cubic metre Compactor Trucks which cannot adequately respond to the service needs across the whole area of operation.
The Minister says the Government will continue to support all Municipal Councils to serve the people of Fiji adding over the last five years the Government has funded five open garbage trucks and 12 compactor garbage trucks.
She says the total investment is worth $2.9m.
Kumar thanked the Government of Japan for the new compactor truck which she says is invaluable to the delivery of waste management services in Lautoka.
Kumar also highlighted that Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is currently at the UN in New York, advocating on the world stage for decisive global action on the challenge of climate change which is remorseless in its impact on our country and region.
She says the Fijian Government places the highest priority in maintaining a clean environment particularly as Fiji continues to address the impacts of climate change.
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