New $50 Levy For Use Of Vatuwaqa Funeral Rites Facility

Families are now required to pay a $50 levy if they wish to disperse cremation ash and conduct associated final rites of their loved ones at the Vatuwaqa Funeral Rites Facility (VFRF).

This was confirmed by VFRF Committee president Ravi Singh. This is the first time a levy has been imposed.

Mr Singh clarified the levy to keep the facility operational and all final rituals carried out at the facility are included in it.

“This is a facility where people can conduct final rites of their loved ones regarding ash dispersion,” he said.

“This facility was built by the Government costing them around $920,000.”

Mr Singh said families used the facility free of charge for the first three years however, maintaining the facility became a challenge for them.

“The Government wanted the facility to be free and users could make appropriate donations to keep it operational,” he said.

“The facilities are as beautiful as the My Suva Park and to avoid vandalism, the Government also requested a security guard to take care of the property.

“However, the cost of having a security guard was close to $500 per week which amounts to almost $27,000 annually.

“We had other costs like maintaining the compound, shower facility, washroom, electricity and water bills and providing free gas.

“About $30,000 was paid to the security and about $10,000 was for general costs.”

Mr Singh said committee members have ended up spending thousands of dollars from their pockets which has to be reimbursed.

“We struggled in the first year, the nine faith-based organisations that are running this decided to contribute $1000 each per year as subscription to move us forward because donations were not enough,” Mr Singh said.

“We had to go out to the corporate organisations for donations and survived, but due to COVID-19, it became difficult to get donations from corporate organisations.

“50 per cent of the users did not make any donations at all and death rate during COVID-19 was higher.

“Every year we were in $10,000 debt and committee members had to pay from their pockets to keep the facility operational.

“We applied for approval and upon research from the past three years, it amounted to $50 to help run the place. A $1million facility near the sea must have a budget to maintain the facility, but this fee is just to keep it operational. People, who can afford, are welcome to make donations to help maintain the facility.” Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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