Fiji Sun

5000 shopping bags to replace plastics

- ARIETA VAKASUKAWA­QA Edited by Ranoba Baoa

The Ba Women’s Forum yesterday delivered more than 5000 reusable shopping bags as an alternativ­e to using plastics for shopping Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimaram­a while launching the ‘plastic bag levy and reusable shopping bags to replace plastic bags’ at RB Patel Centerpoin­t in Laucala Beach, said it would be an alternativ­e to using plastic bags.

Mr Bainimaram­a also handed a cheque of more than $13,000 to the women’s forum for the reusable bags.

Women forum president Dr Maria Doton said the forum was made of 64 clubs from within Ba consisting of more than 800 women.

RB Patel Group Chief Operating Officer, Deepak Rathod said it was high time that people should start protecting the environmen­t and use reusable bags.

Fijian Holdings Limited Group chief executive officer and RB Patel Group Limited director, Nouzab Fareed said they had made a commitment to continue purchasing the bags from Ba Women’s Forum and the sale of plastics bag at their supermarke­ts would be reduced. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism would ensure the bags were of high quality to qualify under the Fijian Made brand.

My Government has ordered an immediate investigat­ion into that illegal dumping, and will take appropriat­e legal action to punish those responsibl­e.

 ?? Photo: Ronald Kumar ?? Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimaram­a with members of Ba Women’s Forum following the launch of reusable cloth shopping bags at RB Patel Centerpoin­t, Laucala Beach on August 1, 2017.
Photo: Ronald Kumar Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimaram­a with members of Ba Women’s Forum following the launch of reusable cloth shopping bags at RB Patel Centerpoin­t, Laucala Beach on August 1, 2017.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Fiji