Residents of Suva City are struggling with a lack of civic pride, which has resulted in excessive littering and waste dumping both in the city and surrounding suburbs. Elenoa Vuniwaqa, a 64-year-old resident who has lived on Suva Street for 15 years, notes that while the city council faces difficulties in maintaining cleanliness, community members must also take responsibility for their environment.
Vuniwaqa expressed concern about the casual manner in which people discard trash, stating, “People just casually toss empty wrappers and bottles on the side as they walk along the streets.” She takes pride in her neighborhood and has reached out to the city council, inquiring about the responsibility for cleanliness in the Toorak area. However, she has not observed any action taken to address the litter problem.
She pointed out that the scarcity of litter bins contributes to improper waste disposal, but emphasized that the main issue is the carelessness of residents. “Every evening, I come out with a garbage bag and collect all the rubbish as I believe we should not only look inside our home, but our surroundings should be clean and cared for too,” she stated.
The caretaker of the Gospel Church is similarly committed to maintaining a clean environment. She is urging both the council and local residents to take immediate action against pollution and litter, stressing that future generations will be adversely affected if current issues are left unaddressed. She suggested that the council should inform residents about proper trash disposal times to minimize the impact of stray dogs that scatter the garbage at night.
Moreover, she highlighted the detrimental effects of litter on marine life, noting that plastic waste often ends up in the ocean, causing significant harm. A survey conducted by a team from The Fiji Times in the Toorak area revealed the absence of designated waste disposal areas, with plastic bags and cartons scattered along the sidewalks instead.