GCC Review Team Meets Police

The senior command of the Fiji Police Force met with members of the Great Council of Chiefs Review Team yesterday, where recommendations were tabled on how the GCC can assist police in the maintenance of law and order through traditional indigenous structures.

Providing an overview of the involvement of the indigenous community in crime related activities, majority of whom are aged between 18-35 years, was the Assistant Commissioner of Police Planning, Research and Doctrine Aporosa Lutunauga who said, “We believe the GCC plays a pivotal role in the institution of the vanua".

"Under the community policing concept of Duavata, which means drawing unity amongst various agencies through acceptance, we hope that the GCC will accept that crime is everybody’s responsibility, and work in tandem with the Fiji Police Force to ensure the maintenance of law and order at all times, and ensure a peaceful co-existence between villages and communities”, he added.

GCC Review Team Leader Dr Jone Baledrokadroka said, “We have been on the road for the last three and half months. Your presentation is a vital cog in our trying to put very important reports together. It has given us the final cog in our wheel of challenges that has been laid out to us in our Terms of Reference”.

“You’ve given us the statistics, we know the challenges with the itaukei population and we are definitely the second pillar, the vanua. As the committee reviewing the GCC, which is the apex of the vanua, we thank you for identifying that, as it is a quest by the people to have a very strong GCC grounded in law and order”.

The Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew thanked the Review Team for allowing time for the Fiji Police to table its recommendations as Police's proactive crime prevention measures dependent heavily on community support.

Dr Jone Baledrokadroka was accompanied by fellow GCC Review team members Ratu Timothy Tavanavanua, Dr Eci Nabalarua, Mr. Graham Leung, Mr. Malakai Naiyaga, Ms. Mereani Rokotuibau and Dr Apisalome Movono.

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