ACP Waqa launches drug week in Rakiraki

The Assistant Commissioner of Police – Crime (ACP/C) Mesake Waqa conveyed the Fiji Police Force's appreciation to the members of the Ra Provincial Council for taking a stand in protecting their Province from the harmful impacts of the illicit drug trade.

ACP Waqa was invited to officially open the three-day War on Drugs and Fight for Violence Against Women and Children Roadshow in Rakiraki yesterday, jointly facilitated by the Rakiraki Community Policing Team, Government and civil society groups with the aim of educating and empowering community resilience.

On the 11th of April, 2024, a declaration was made during the Ra Provincial Council meeting whereby the vanua pledged to ban drugs from the province.

“We salute this move, noting our consistent call for community support in reducing the supply of illicit drugs. From the month of January to May this year, 768 reports of drugs were recorded throughout the five policing divisions”.

“If you look at it by Division, 342 cases were recorded within the Western Division, 164 in the Northern Division, 156 in the Southern Division, 61 in the Eastern Division and the Central Division recorded 45 cases.”

ACP Mesake Waqa said through consistent collaborative efforts, the figure can be reduced. “Here in the Western Division, arrests were made from Sigatoka to Rakiraki, Nalawa and Border Police.

Some may argue, it’s expected, because the Western Division is the largest Division, but today I want to challenge you to change that narrative.

Just because it is expected, does not mean - it has to be.” ACP Waqa also used the opportunity to call for a collaborative approach in addressing crimes against women and children. “At the beginning of my address, I had stated that as a society we have not done enough to better protect you all from becoming victims in the very place that is supposed to be your sanctuary, your comfort zone, your HOME.”

“While in some months we would record increases, and others decreases, the consistent and disturbing factor is that many are domestic related. Whether it be assault or sexual related, worryingly, the crimes were committed within a domestic setting”.

ACP Waqa went on to say, “This means that the offender was known to the victim through a personal relationship, whether it be, father – daughter, uncle – niece/nephew, husband – wife, grandfather – granddaughter or grandson, or de-facto partners. What we also must be aware of, is that, in some cases, the offenders are also children”.

“Crimes happening within our homes depict moral decay, and a need for a more concerted effort to address the why factor. That is where the vanua, religious groups, Non-government organisations and civil society come in to help law enforcement answer the why factor.” The three-day Roadshow ends tomorrow.