Govt needs to seriously consider maintaining law and order - Lal

FijiFirst MP Virendra Lal has urged the Government that they need to seriously consider maintaining law and order in the country as it can lead to people leaving our beloved nation.

While responding to the President’s opening address in Parliament, Lal says a 10 percent increase in overall crime for January is alarming, and there is a serious concern about the worrying increase in crimes against women and a significant increase in the number of illicit drug cases registered.

He says crimes against women recorded a 31 percent increase, with 252 cases received in January 2024 compared to the number recorded for the same period last year.

He adds of the 252 cases, 17 percent were committed in the domestic setting, primarily by spouses or partners, and women between the ages of 18 to 38 years represent the largest number of victims.

The FijiFirst MP says it is also worrying that Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm cases involving women increased from 139 cases recorded in January 2023 to 167 cases for the same period this year, and rape cases rose from 14 to 35 cases, with some reports recording multiple counts.

He says during January, the most prevalent offences were Assault causing actual bodily harm (315 cases), theft (280 cases), Unlawful Possession of illicit drugs (153 cases), Burglary and Aggravated Burglary (138 cases) and Criminal Intimidation (84 cases).

Lal says this huge statistical increase reaffirms and reflects the way the Coalition Government has performed in the last 14 months, and it reflects the lack of faith the Fijian people have in the Government of the day.

He adds when the Government does not respect the law, people also feel they can do the same, and with the public’s dissatisfaction with the authorities, a lot of crimes are not reported.

Lal says the Acting Police Commissioner agrees there is nepotism, backbiting and mistrust within the Force.

He says according to the Acting Commissioner, these things happen when there is a lack of trust within certain groups who are focusing on their own personal agendas.

The FijiFirst MP has also highlighted that the Fiji National Provident Fund has noted an increase in migration withdrawals last year and reveals that the migration withdrawals reached up to $83.8 million last year.

He says in 2022, it was $42.9 million, and the increase in the migration withdrawals shows the movement of our people abroad for better prospects.

The FijiFirst MP says political appointments erode trust in the existing systems and processes, and this adversely affects service delivery and institutional strength, which leads to brain drain.