Drugs, cybersecurity, AI, and mental health key focus during ODPP conference

Issues such as cybersecurity, drugs, artificial intelligence and mental health are threatening the lives of the people.

The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Nancy Tikoisuva highlighted this during the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions National Conference.

Tikoisuva says the conference is centered on emerging criminal trends in Fiji and it also intends to be a learning platform for law enforcement stakeholders to engage and discuss the emerging criminal issues.

The Acting DPP says drugs threaten the very fabric of our reality, it’s affecting our families, communities, churches, schools and the whole nation.

She says our children are vulnerable and the age of criminal responsibilities together with the space in which these criminal transactions are taking place is changing, therefore there is a need to understand and comprehend the extent of its effects.

The Acting DPP further says we can't fight in isolation and promotion of international cooperation at all levels is required.

She adds that strengthened cooperation with the private sector actors, between law enforcement authorities, private sector companies and civil society is an important prerequisite for a collective effort in this fight.

The conference was officially opened by the Program Director of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US State Department, Evan Robbins at the Shangri-La Yanuca Island Resort.

About 150 participants including prosecutors, defence counsels, private practitioners, police officers and investigators will take part in the two-day event.

The event will feature key-note speakers both from local and overseas who will be speaking on the theme ‘Fiji on the Cusp of Emerging Trends: Narcotics, Age of Criminal Responsibility, International Cooperation, AI, Cyber Security and Mental Health.’