Tiri and cash
TOURISM creates employment but we must ensure that any tourism-related project has minimal impact on the environment because that is what tourists come to Fiji for.
Highlighting the need to protect the last remaining mangroves near the Fiji National University catering school along Queen Elizabeth Drive, Nasese resident and co-founder of Talanoa Treks, Marita Manley said it was important there was a balance struck between the economic and monetary benefits of tourism and the need to protect the environment.
She was at the Save the Tiri Campaign Awareness and clean up last Saturday.
“I live on Ratu Sukuna Rd and I walk along the foreshore every morning,” Ms Manley said.
“The mangrove area near the catering school is one of the last left in this area.
“It plays an important part on the functioning of the ecosystem and the water from Leveti Creek that comes through that mangrove ecosystem.”
Ms Manley claimed residents in the area were being impacted from when mangroves were cleared for the development of a housing project.
“It has increased flooding to a lot of the houses behind that area.
“I’m not an expert, but I’m a passionate conservationist who believes that we need to be protecting what we have left of these important ecosystems.
“Both with protecting the area and also protecting it from the species that live in those mangroves for the role it plays in being a nursery for fish and crabs.
Ms Manley said the Save the Tiri clean-up campaign would not have been a success without the efforts of the community and nongovernmental organisations. “We have a number of neighbourhood and organisations that have come out together.
“So we have the Suva Suppers, Save the Suva Harbour Foundation, the Duavata Sustainable Tourism Collective and the Suva Marathon Club and it’s been a group effort to try and make this day happen and raise awareness about the need to protect this area.
“And we have experience in tourism so we have an interest in making sure that we have a serious conversation about the type of tourism development we want.
“Tourism is a fantastic driver for creating employment and it does a lot in supporting tax base of the country but we want the right kind of tourism that recognises the importance of our ecosystem and our environment.
“Because at the end of the day that is what tourists come to Fiji for. They come for the environment and we want to make sure that any tourism development taking place protects the environment.”
She said people should not wait for a clean-up day, to pick up rubbish from along the foreshore.
“If you are taking your dog for a walk, you can take a rubbish bag with you,” Ms Manley said.
“But the most important thing is to think about not letting the rubbish end up in our environment in the first place.
“So that means being responsible on what we are generating in terms of waste but also on what we are buying and avoiding things that have excessive packaging.
“I come out on a Sunday morning and a lot of the bins in these area are full of take away packaging and I think companies whose main business is producing that packaging also have a role to play in solving the pollution issue.”
The mangrove area near the catering school ... plays an important part of ... the ecosystem and ... Leveti Creek
– Marita Manley