Every weekday morning, before the parks of Suva fill with the hustle and bustle of office workers and joggers, Marshall Narayan is already hard at work, removing litter. Despite his diligent efforts, he finds that by the next day, the park is cluttered once again.
For the past year, Narayan, who has been with the Suva City Council for 21 years, has made it his mission to clean the park daily. He views the recurring issue of litter as an alarming sign of a growing apathy towards public spaces.
“No matter how clean we leave it, when we come back the next morning it’s the same,” Narayan said, expressing his frustration at this seemingly endless cycle.
He clarifies a common misconception: the litter problem is not due to insufficient rubbish bins, as the council has ensured an adequate supply placed throughout the park. “But they are not utilized,” he noted, showing disappointment at the behavior of some park visitors.
Narayan often finds fast-food wrappers, empty containers, and bottles strewn about in areas where people gather to eat, relax, or socialize. “People just leave it there and go,” he lamented, indicating a troubling trend.
He believes this littering reflects a broader decline in civic responsibility within the community. “We have our own way of thinking about how we use things that are provided to us. Most people are lazy. They leave it where they are sitting,” he pointed out, underscoring a growing lack of accountability he has observed over the past year.
For Narayan, the key to achieving sustainable change lies with park users themselves. “If everyone just picked up after themselves, this place would stay clean,” he shared, expressing hope for a more conscientious community that values their shared environment.
This ongoing situation is a poignant reminder for all who visit public spaces, highlighting the significance of civic pride and the need for individuals to take responsibility for their surroundings. By fostering a culture of accountability, the community can work together to create a cleaner, more inviting environment for everyone.