Equal fines for businesses and residents 'unfair', Parliament told

Fining a poor family in an informal settlement the same amount as a million-dollar company for a public health breach is unfair, Consumer Council of Fiji chief executive officer Seema Shandil told Parliament on Friday.

Ms Shandil appeared before the Standing Committee on Social Affairs to present the council's submission on the Public Health Amendment Bill, which proposes higher penalties for public health offences but applies the same fines to both businesses and individuals.

Opposition MP Viam Pillay raised the issue during the hearing.

"A business like FSC (Fiji Sugar Corporation) under nuisance or obstruction is given the same fine as a residence from an informal settlement. Is that fair?" Mr Pillay said.

Ms Shandil agreed the fines needed to be reviewed, suggesting penalties should be linked to the level of harm caused rather than imposed at a flat rate.

"We can re-look at the fines and align them according to the level of harm it creates to the community," she said, adding that a tiered or proportional system would be fairer.

She also said the bill's definition of nuisance, which can trigger fines, was too broad and needed to be clearly defined before any penalty structure could be effectively applied.

"Without a correct definition, then the fines can be worked out accordingly," Ms Shandil said.