Nadi boundary villages exempt from rates

Villages included within the Nadi Town boundary will not be required to pay town rates, says Minister for Local Government and Housing Maciu Nalumisa.

Mr Nalumisa said while the villages would fall within the town boundary, they would only be included in garbage collection services provided by the town council.

“They will not pay rates, but the council will look at strategies to ensure garbage collection is conducted in these villages,” Mr Nalumisa said.

He said the council would also work on the beautification of villages, as they serve as gateways to the tourist town.

“The town council will help with cleaning up the frontage of these villages and managing their waste. Before entering the tourist town, it is important that these villages are presentable and the environment is clean,” he said.

Nadi Town Council chief executive officer Muni Reddy said the council would work closely with the ministry as plans progress to include areas such as Sabeto and Korovuto within the town boundary.

“The boundary currently ends at Waimalika, but the villages are included. That is what the ministry is working on,” Mr Reddy said.

“The villages will not be levied town rates, but a special fee will be charged based on the services provided by the council.”

Mr Reddy said rubbish collection would be the first service introduced, with fees determined by the type of waste collected from each area.

“We are still working on the details regarding the town boundaries. The ministry is preparing an information package that will be submitted to all councils, so we must provide accurate information to everyone. It will be released this week,” he said.