Cabinet today agreed that the Naboro Landfill subsidy of $1m (VEP) is to be retained, but be redirected so as to provide greater benefit to the Municipal Councils and Rural Local Authorities in waste collections within their respective jurisdiction in the Central Division.
The subsidy is to be provided only to the Municipal Councils (Suva City Council, Lami Town Council, Nausori Town Council and Nasinu Town Council) and Rural Local Authorities (Navua Rural Local Authority) at a rate of $16.09 per tonne of waste.
This would mean that the Municipal Councils (Suva City Council, Lami Town Council, Nausori Town Council and Nasinu Town Council) and Rural Local Authorities (Navua Rural Local Authority) continue in principal to only pay the existing gate fee of $21.86 even with the new increased gate fee of $37.95, which shall take effect twelve months from today.
Gate fee for special waste will also be increased from $40.00 to $60.87 (VEP) per tonne.
The subsidy will also be diverted to assist councils in waste collections, in many of the informal settlements that are located within municipal boundaries but are not legally obliged to pay town rates yet generate huge volumes of household waste.
Cabinet based its decision on a submission by the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Hon. Parveen Kumar.