Nz International Services group met Compol

A senior executive team from the New Zealand Police International Services Group (ISG) met with the Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveno Qiliho to review the work conducted under the multi-million dollar New Zealand High Commission, Suva, Fiji funded Fiji Police Partnership Program (FPPP).

The team headed by Mariska Kecskemeti-Zhu the Manager International Strategy & Planning, Jordan McGarvey Special Advisor and Mark Pakes who is earmarked to take over as Project Manager from Inspector Paris Razos later in the year have been conducting meetings with senior Fijian Police Officers this past week.

Also in attendance were NZ Senior Police Advisors Paul Van Der Zee and Margo Atawhai Hall.

Ms Kecskemeti-Zhu said, "We have for the past two years had a Fiji Police Partnership Programme between the New Zealand Police and Fiji Police and that's due to come to a conclusion in December this year.

Through that Program we've had five Advisors and we've been providing support to Investigative Interviewing, Leadership and Governance and Asset Recovery" She adds."

For New Zealand, the partnership with the Fiji Police is an incredibly important one and so we really value the opportunity to have these conversations and ensure we are supporting them in their priorities".

Ms Kecskemeti-Zhu said they are keen to meet with other key stakeholders within the Fiji Police and other FPPP stakeholders to talk about the next phase of what New Zealand's support may look like.

She also confirmed that the next phase of Developing the General Patrol Dog Capabilities will get underway later this year.

The Commissioner of Police Brigadier Sitiveni General Qiliho said he was grateful and appreciative of what IP Razos and the NZ Police team had achieved and commended the New Zealand Police's commitment in sending a team to Fiji to discuss ways of advancing current security engagement partnerships under the FPPP.

The head of the Fiji Police Force assured the NZ ISG team of the organisation's support as Fiji does not only look at strengthening its own law enforcement capabilities but is viewing it from a regional perspective.

"We need to fight together for the region and are looking at how our fellow Pacific law enforcement partners can also benefit from the FPPP through our ability to share experiences and knowledge gained from our New Zealand Police partners".

Brigadier General Qiliho said the organisation hoped to expand the FPPP in other fields such as Narcotics as it's not just a Fijian problem but a regional and global one, Forensics, Cyber-Crime and further developing Leadership Training.

He added, "From what has been achieved by IP Razos and his team which is significant having to work through the pandemic, it is important that we continue the momentum and enhance the learning and engagement process from here onwards".

The Fiji Police Partnership Programme was launched in February 2020 during the visit of the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to Fiji.

The partnership involved New Zealand Police working in Fiji from 2020 to 2022 to strengthen the four outputs of;

1. Development of Investigative Interviewing capability

2. Development of General Patrol Dog capability (K9)

3. Asset Recovery Support

4. Development of Leadership & Governance capability Accompanying the Commissioner of Police were the Director International Relations SSP Ulaiasi Ravula, Director Legal SSP Rajesh Krishna and Deputy Director International Relations SP Ilaitia Caginavanua.

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