Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka has publicly opposed the proposed $1.4 billion Waste to Energy power plant planned by The Next Generation Fiji for Vuda in Lautoka, saying the site sits squarely within an area already earmarked for major tourism developments and should be moved.
Gavoka told reporters that the Vuda corridor is “in the heartland of tourism” and that what he is hearing from communities is echoed across the industry. “The industry is pleading to the Government or to the ministry dealing with this project not to have that in Vuda because the Vuda corridor is earmarked for tourism developments,” he said. Gavoka added that the tourism projects planned for the area are “quite big” and that the plant would jeopardise those advanced plans.
The minister did not oppose waste-to-energy technology itself, acknowledging that such plants can work in other jurisdictions. “Personally, I have seen this project done in Singapore and it works very well, but it was located in the furthest part of the island and away from the populated areas, business centres and tourist centres. I strongly urge that we do the same in Fiji,” he said, calling for the facility to be relocated to a less sensitive area.
Industry stakeholders have amplified that message. Tony Whitton, managing director of Rosie Holidays and Ahura Resorts Fiji Islands, posted on social media that the development would directly harm tours and livelihoods that depend on the Vuda Lookout experience. “One of the most popular half-day tours operated by our family business is the Vuda Lookout experience. This tour includes visits to the historic Viseisei Village, local handicraft markets and the surrounding picturesque landscapes,” Whitton wrote, warning that the project “will significantly impact many families in this area who depend on this tour.”
Rosie Holidays and other local operators argue that the tour ecosystem supports household incomes through craft sales, guiding and hospitality services, and that a nearby industrial facility could deter visitors and undermine those incomes. Gavoka framed industry concerns as a broader community plea, urging the government to heed those warnings as siting discussions continue.
The Next Generation Fiji’s proposed high-tech plant — reported to cost about $1.4 billion — forms part of a broader push to develop alternative energy capacity and to modernise waste management. The project’s proponents have previously pointed to benefits such as energy generation and reduced landfill use, but Gavoka and tourism operators say those gains should not come at the expense of an already planned tourism corridor.
This marks the most public and high-level pushback to date from the tourism sector and a cabinet minister against the Vuda site. With the minister’s intervention and industry voices now on record, the decision over siting will likely move into more intensive consultation between developers, relevant ministries and tourism stakeholders. The government or ministry handling the project has been urged to consider alternative locations that do not conflict with tourism development plans.
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