$200 litter fines welcomed in Labasa

Labasa market vendors have welcomed the increase in littering fines from $40 to $200, saying tougher penalties are needed to tackle growing rubbish problems in the town.

The increase comes under the new Litter Amendment Bill 2026, passed in Parliament, which expands the law to cover more waste types, including electronics, solar panels, batteries and industrial waste.

Labasa Market Vendors and Farmers Association vice-president Waisea Makulau said vendors witnessed littering daily despite existing laws.

Mr Makulau said people needed to respect public spaces and help keep the town clean.

He said the increased penalties would encourage people to take greater responsibility for cleanliness.

“We as residents need to keep our town clean and avoid littering and when we see others littering discourage them,” he said.

Mr Makulau also called on enforcement officers to apply the law fairly.

He urged council litter enforcement officers not to be influenced by personal relationships or familiarity with offenders.

Divisional Health Inspector Northern Vakaruru Cavuilati said littering remained a major concern across towns in the Northern Division.

Mr Cavuilati said littering continued within almost every municipal boundary and stressed that effective monitoring would be critical in reducing the problem.

He said rubbish created a poor image for Labasa, particularly for visitors travelling through the town.

Labasa Town Council special administrator Samuela Ligairi described littering as an unhealthy practice that residents should avoid.

He said rubbish bins had been installed in several areas around town to encourage proper waste disposal.

Mr Ligairi also highlighted past incidents in Savusavu where rubbish bins were allegedly damaged by fire caused by improper smoking near bins.

He said Labasa should continue promoting a greener and cleaner environment through more planting and beautification efforts.