A motion to increase the allocation of the Ministry of Environment’s compliance and enforcement of environmental impact assessment (EIA) from $10,000 to $90,000 was dismissed by Parliament.
National Federation Party member of Parliament Lenora Qereqeretabua had called for increased funding for the ministry because she encountered many cases where members of the public complained about the lack of resources within the department.
“The Malolo Island saga there were many complaints coming in through the Department of Environment and I myself have been involved in several cases where citizens have come to me to complain about the fact that despite numerous calls to the Department of Environment they have been told to wait and they didn’t have transport,” she said.
“The complainants I’ve invited have offered their own transport to take the staff to go and check on areas where they complained and this is why I’m moving this because they obviously need the resourcing to be able to reach the outer islands.”
In response Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said Ms Qereqeretabua had failed to see the trend of expenditure for the Ministry of Environment had actually increased.
“If she actually looked at the trend of expenditure and saw the trend of expenditure compared to 2020-2021, we would have increased funding for example the 2021 revised budget, both for staffing and various other areas,” he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Ms Qereqeretabua constantly puts blame on the Government.
“She hops on about Malolo but fails time and time again mentioned the fact that Malolo was a successful prosecution and the company got charged the largest sum of penalty under any jurisdiction in Fiji at any point in time., nobody acknowledges that,” he said.
“We saw the villages around that area who were given free boats, and they turned a blind eye to it.
“The land near neighbouring landowners were actually complicit in that also. She does not acknowledge that and every single blame is put on the government.”
In her right of reply, Ms Qereqeretabua said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum missed her point and said the reason for the motion was to better resource the Ministry of Environment.
“I think there is a need for just more resourcing for this department. I have no idea where this blame game is coming from. I definitely am not blaming the Government, I’m just asking that this department is better resourced.”
