Litter monitoring officials trained by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change have begun issuing fines as part of Government efforts to combat littering nationwide. Line Minister Mosese Bulitavu revealed this on Wednesday with officials now actively enforcing regulations across the country. “They are now slowly going into issuing fines and also doing monitoring,” Mr Bulitavu said. “They were trained in all across local government, our staff and even other ministries. We are working hand in hand.” He said that the initiative was focused on education rather than punishment. “It’s not that we are trying to penalise people, we are trying to shape their behaviour,” he said. Proper waste disposal is a civic responsibility for all Fijians. As responsible citizens, Fijians must be responsible for rubbish and also where they going to put it. Ministry supporting dengue response Mr Bulitavu also addressed his ministry’s involvement in the ongoing dengue fever outbreak response. “We are collaborating with the Ministry of Health, which plays the lead role in doing the spraying and clearing up,” he said. Residents are urged to take preventative measures around their homes. Additional public awareness campaigns will be forthcoming to help address the outbreak. Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj