RE: Jone Dakuvula’s letter on Council Rates

Dimity Fifer, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Local Government

Under Fiji’s Local Government Act (CAP 125, 1972) there is the provision for the appointment of Administrators who have all the powers of the Council. Around the world, Acts which govern local government include the provision for appointing Administrators.

This may be for a number of reasons including instituting whole of sector reform or removing Councillors who are not performing their proscribed duties or who are fraudulent.

New South Wales in Australia and New Zealand have both recently invoked their relevant clauses to replace non performing Councillors to ensure proper governance is reestablished in their respective Councils. In Fiji, it is timely to review the Local Government Act as it is now close to 50 years old.

This will commence this year and it will be an extensive consultative process as one would expect for this important sector in Fiji.

The Ministry looks forward to the discussion and input into the Act’s provisions as we go forward.

All Municipal Councils in Fiji have done the important work of rate profiling so that they are better prepared to undertake effective rate collections and achieve a higher percentage of rate revenue each year.

The Ministry also continues to actively promote the payment of rates in the media. With the upcoming move to mid-year rate invoices from July 2021 we hope that ratepayers will appreciate the shift of rate payments away from the start of the school year to ensure easier budgeting.

Civil servants are also able to have their rates taken out at source if they choose. This mechanism allows for better budgeting and to ensure they are compliant.