293 street dwellers living in major towns and cities

As at December last year, 293 street dwellers where most are under the age of 17 were living in the streets of Suva, Lautoka, Nadi, Labasa, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki.

This has been confirmed by Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Social Protection Eseta Nadakuitavuki who says they identified 155 dwellers in Suva, 73 in Lautoka, 53 in Nadi and 3 in Labasa.

According to the Ministry's statistics, there were 6 beggars in Ba who return home daily, 2 in Tavua and 1 in Ra.

They say of the 73 profiled in Lautoka, there were 31 children and 42 adults.

The Ministry says the children have been placed with a relative while 6 have been placed in a children's home.

The 42 adults have either been placed with a relative, while some have opted to remain on the streets.

The Ministry says they are working closely with both CSOs and faith based organisations to provide temporary shelter while the taskforce in Lautoka will be conducting another profiling exercise this week.

Nadakuitavuki says they have engaged stakeholders and institution to have a proper conversation with them and actually to find out the reasons why they are out there.

She says ideally they would like to send them back home where they rightfully belong but some of the kids prefer to be on the streets so in the next few months, the Ministry will be finding their parents, and then actually asking them to come on board with them to ensure that they keep these children in the right places.

The Permanent Secretary says as expected during the school holidays the number increased and kids are just coming out to the streets and are in towns to be with their friends.

Nadakuitavuki says they are also working with the police to actually find out the reasons why they love to be on the streets.

She also says a second profiling exercise will happen to find out the reasons why they are sleeping on the streets, especially in the central business localities in Suva. She says they have already started to enroll these individuals for tertiary and vocational training.

The Permanent Secretary says some of the children are already attending classes with Inspire Pacific while others have been accommodated with the Salvation Army.

Meanwhile, Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya says they are working very closely with the Methodist Church who have handed over a property in Serua to the Ministry.

She says they are now doing scoping works and engaging with Inspire Pacific where it will become a rehabilitation center and training center for the street children.