Rise in cost of living and drugs – FCOSS

The Director of Fiji Council of Social Services, Vani Catanasiga, says communities are still reeling from the impact of the rise in the cost of living and are also concerned about the drug issues faced within the country however the government and majority of the parliamentarians have unfortunately prioritised their salaries and benefits first.

Catanasiga says they feel these issues would motivate the MPs to really re-focus and prioritize key actions that will protect the most vulnerable.

She says every community they visited are still struggling to deal with the rise in the cost of living, and the rainy weather we have experienced over the past few weeks has also affected people's lives.

The FCOSS Director says another ongoing concern is the drug issues in Fiji, as there is not enough support given to the authorities to tackle the problem.

She adds that there is a need for a rehabilitation facility to be set up in the country to deal with and assist drug addicts.

Catanasiga says they are also concerned about the reports of children using and peddling drugs.

She wants these serious issues to be addressed in the 2024/2025 National Budget that will be delivered on June 28th.