Public consultations on the review of Fiji’s Mining Act 1965 and Quarries Act 1939 scheduled for the Northern Division have been postponed because of adverse weather, the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources confirmed on Tuesday. Permanent Secretary Paula Cirikiyasawa said all sessions originally set for April 8 to April 11, 2026, will be deferred until after April 21 to protect the safety of participants and stakeholders.
“The Ministry wishes to advise the public of a change in the public consultation schedule for the Northern Division on the review of the Mining Act 1965 and Quarries Act 1939, due to the current impending adverse weather conditions,” Cirikiyasawa said. A fresh timetable for the Northern Division consultations — including confirmed venues and dates — will be published in due course, the Permanent Secretary added.
Despite the postponement in the North, the wider consultation exercise will proceed as planned. Sessions are due to officially begin on April 13 at Tawake Village Hall, and the Ministry says the nationwide review remains a priority aimed at ensuring existing legislation is fit for the sector’s evolving needs. Cirikiyasawa reiterated that the decision to defer the Northern meetings was taken with participant safety foremost in mind and thanked the public for their patience.
The review comes amid growing calls to strengthen mineral laws. In March, Mineral Resources Minister Filimoni Vosarogo highlighted concerns over illegal river sand and gravel extraction and described penalties under current legislation as inadequate. The government has signalled the consultation program is intended to gather broad feedback from landowners, communities, operators and civil society on modernising enforcement provisions, penalties and regulatory settings across both mining and quarry activities.
The Northern Division includes major islands such as Vanua Levu and Taveuni, where weather-related travel disruptions can impede attendance at in-person sessions. By postponing the April 8–11 meetings, the Ministry aims to ensure affected communities can fully participate in the consultations once conditions stabilise. Cirikiyasawa said the Ministry will use its official communication channels to announce the revised dates and venues for the deferred Northern consultations.
Stakeholders and members of the public are being asked to monitor the Ministry’s platforms for updates and to prepare submissions in line with the broader consultation timetable. The outcome of the review is expected to shape enforcement powers and penalties, as well as other regulatory reforms intended to curb illegal extraction and better manage quarry activities across Fiji.
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