Caning is erased from proposed village by-laws

The Indigenous Affairs Ministry has stressed that it never had flogging or public whipping of villagers as a form of punishment in the proposed village by-laws.

Deputy Permanent Secretary, Colonel Apakuki Kurusiga said the ministry is concerned about the misinformation that has been publicised by one of the dailies, which also headlined the village by-laws as Jungle Laws.

Colonel Kurusiga revealed that the by-laws had proposed caning for offences covered under the proposed village system.

However he stressed that this has already been removed.

The main focus is to ensure that the respect for those that look after the village remains and to deal with those that have committed minor offences under the village by-laws.

Colonel Kurusiga however stressed that the police will still be allowed to go into any village and conduct their investigations.