FIJI Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has demanded Parliament intervene in the government’s fast-tracked review of the proposed Vuda Waste to Energy project, saying the scheme poses serious risks to tourism, bottled-water producers, public health and the environment. Chaudhry called on MPs to probe how the review has been handled and to hold responsible ministers to account, warning the project could also undermine Fiji’s international climate commitments.
In a statement, Chaudhry said Parliament must “investigate the manner in which the entire matter has been handled, the absence of accountability, the blatant breach of proper procedures in dealing with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and the involvement of top government ministers.” He described the process as hurried and “fraught with irregularities, inconsistencies and improprieties.”
Chaudhry highlighted a key detail that has intensified opposition to the plan: he said the project would require some 700,000 tonnes of waste material to be brought into Fiji each year from Australia and other locations for incineration. “Labour is appalled that a project that requires 700,000 tonnes of waste material to be brought into the country each year from Australia and elsewhere to be incinerated here, is being even entertained by the Government,” he said.
Beyond local environmental and health concerns, Chaudhry warned the scheme runs counter to Fiji’s status as a “COP champion.” He said allowing a foreign waste incineration plant would contradict the nation’s pledges made at UN climate conferences and could jeopardise climate-related financial assistance. “Allowing a foreign waste incineration plant contradicts Fiji’s image as a COP champion committed to climate-friendly initiatives,” he added.
Chaudhry urged Opposition MPs to prepare an urgent censure motion over the issue ahead of Parliament’s upcoming sitting, which he said will convene for a week from the 27th of this month. A censure motion would aim to force debate in the House and demand answers from ministers involved in the project’s approval and oversight, he said.
The Vuda Waste to Energy proposal is currently under review by The Next Generation Fiji. Chaudhry’s intervention marks the latest escalation in public scrutiny of the proposal, bringing parliamentary procedures and ministerial responsibility to the forefront as opponents stress potential reputational, environmental and fiscal consequences for the country.
As Parliament prepares to meet, the calls for a formal inquiry and closer parliamentary oversight are likely to shape debate around the project in the coming days.
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