Commitment to Tackle challenges

The Fiji Police Support Project Retreat concluded on Friday with justice stakeholders reiterating their commitment to tackling challenges faced in strengthening early access to justice initiatives by the Fiji Police Force.

The three day retreat brought together representatives from the New Zealand High Commission, NZ Police, UNDP, Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Legal Aid Commission, Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights and the Fiji Police with the intent of strengthening partnerships between stakeholders and to find solutions to challenges faced with the implementation of the project.

The Fiji Police Force Support Project funded by the New Zealand Government and supported by the UNDP was launched in 2020.

Honourable Chief Justice Mr Kamal Kumar in his closing remarks commended the efforts of all stakeholders.

"The main link of access to justice chain starts with the Fiji Police Force, it is therefore imperative that all stakeholders play their role efficiently and diligently to ensure that members of the public are not denied early access to justice".

"The actions or inactions of a few for reasons known to them paints a bad picture on the whole Fiji Police Force.

The fact that the FPF is working very closely with their donor partners, shows their commitment to ensuring that individual rights are not abused".

Fiji Police's Deputy Commissioner Itendra Nair said "we reaffirm our commitment to the implementation of the project and will do our best to operationalize the items that will be finalized in the work plan".

A site visit to the Sigatoka Police Station was also conducted during the retreat where the FPF/NZ Project Team Leader Inspector Paris Rasoz commended the resourcefulness of the Fiji Police during the initial stages of the project.

"The general Police mindset is one that they make the most of what they have.

There are limitations but their commitment to achieving the desired outcomes stipulated must be commended and it is now on us to come up with workable soutions to the challenges faced".