Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says legalizing prostitution is a very emotive issue and they will need to have a lot of public consultation regarding this after a doctor called on the government to legalize prostitution.
While speaking during the budget consultation in Navua last night, Dr Ahmed Dean asked Sayed-Khaiyum if government is looking into the prospect of legalizing prostitution.
Sayed-Khaiyum says there were some consultations done on legalizing prostitution a number of years ago through the Law Reform Commission.
He says people very strongly felt that prostitution should not be legalized.
Dr Dean also says that government should be looking at imposing tax on grog sales.
He has also asked the Minister for Economy on why government is not looking at legalizing marijuana as it is now treated as a recreational drug abroad.
He says the cost of police surveillance, raids, prosecution, court procedures and prison containment is an enormous cost to the country and we should be looking at legalizing marijuana.
In response, Sayed-Khaiyum says they had announced in the budget last year that they are looking at legalizing Industrial Hemp.
He says Industrial Hemp is a huge money making enterprise overseas which can be used to make things like ropes and clothes.
The Attorney General says they are currently trying to look into all the laws because they want to make sure that we are not blacklisted by financial institutions.
He says they have already spoken to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime who are helping Fiji regarding this.
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