The Tanoa Waterfront Hotel in Lautoka took to the sea in front of the hotel this week, removing tyres, branches, plastic bottles and other rubbish discarded there.

Led by the hotel’s general manager Narend Kumar, 30 staff members donned gloves and made their way through the soft mud as they joined the “Fight the Bite” campaign.

“Despite the mud and sogginess of the waterfront, our staff managed to fill one truck load of the rubbish that people throw into the sea,” Mr Kumar said.

“It took us two to three hours to clean the area in front of the hotel.”

The Tanoa Waterfront Hotel general manager said they were joined by the Minister for Environment Parveen Kumar who commended the efforts of the hotel staff.

Manager Kumar said the rubbish and debris were an eyesore to tourists and locals, especially at low tide.

However he and his staff have not just being supporting the campaign – they have been doing this once every quarter.

They had been doing this because the waterfront is a view tourists get when dining or lazing around the lounge area.

“So we need to keep the surrounding environment of the hotel clean,” Mr Kumar said.

He has asked the public to be more responsible and civic minded and get rid of their rubbish in the proper manner.

“The public should take ownership of the environment.”

Mr Kumar said the Tanoa Group of Hotels owner YP Reddy leads by example from the top where he has always stressed the importance of cleanliness in and around the hotel and its environment.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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