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Hotels and resorts hosting concerts, festivals and entertainment events could face increased scrutiny under proposed changes to Fiji’s Public Health Act.
Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Salaseini Daunabuna says clearer definitions are needed around what constitutes a nuisance, warning that accommodation providers could face complaints from nearby communities if the provisions are not carefully drafted.
“The bill defines nuisance as anything in the opinion of the environmental health practitioner is offensive to the public or injurious to health. This includes noise, smoke and even specific traits such as cover pounding. We wish to raise that this can create ambiguity, so clarification is needed on noise as a nuisance.”
Daunabuna told the parliamentary committee that many resorts operate in areas where villages and commercial activities exist side by side.
They say without clear guidelines, accommodation providers that host entertainment events could find themselves vulnerable to complaints.
In response, Acting Health Inspector acknowledged the concerns and indicated that regulations could be developed to better define acceptable noise levels and establish minimum standards.
The issue is one of several concerns raised by the tourism sector as Parliament continues its review of the Public Health Amendment Bill 2026, which aims to modernise legislation first enacted more than 90 years ago.
