Enough was not done about drug trafficking and gang wars - Catanasiga

A few years ago we were at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we stated that the previous government was not doing enough to prevent what is coming, and now it is here.

Those are the words Fiji Council of Social Services Director, Vani Catanasiga as she says they anticipated the issues that are now occurring in relation to drug trafficking in Fiji.

Catanasiga says FCOSS is also working with Asia Foundation and USAID on the issue of human trafficking.

She says research and anecdotal evidence shows that if there is a drug trafficking issue, there is always human trafficking involved as well.

The FCOSS Director says they are preparing themselves as a network to deal with that problem.

She says we need to recognise that there are institutions that we must invest in to be able to cope with the social problems we are facing. Catanasiga says in 2021, FCOSS also called for an inquiry into the Police because of the gang wars that were happening in Nabua.

She says they hope that is prioritised urgently because we have to be able to look at an institution like the Fiji Police Force, and other government ministries and say they will protect us, and will uphold their duty.

The FCOSS Director says there needs to be much more attention given to families in the government budget as development corporations are not prioritising families, because families are the unit that are supposed to protect children and women from violence.

She says their communities now have tools after being trained for two days by Asia Foundation supported by USAID so they are countering or preventing trafficking in persons.

Catanasiga adds drug trafficking is being dealt with by the Police and they are doing what they can to support, while trying to prevent the human cost of that which is also protecting our children.