Fiji has marked a major milestone with the opening of its first Alcohol and Drugs Recovery Facility in Suva.
The Salvation Army Alcohol and Drugs Recovery Centre was officially opened by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Rabuka says the significance of the facility cannot be overstated.
With the escalating challenges surrounding drug and alcohol abuse, he says it is vital to implement practical and timely measures to support communities.
However, he says the centre is also a lasting reminder of society's failure.
Rabuka says Fiji has failed to keep drugs out of the country and away from its people.
The Prime Minister says with more than 2,400 drug-related cases recorded in 2025, and drug-related cargo sightings along the coastlines of Vanua Levu, Viti Levu and, more recently, Lau, it is clear that Fiji's vast maritime space has become a major conduit for the illicit drug trade.
Rabuka says the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Programme combines an internationally recognised 12-step recovery programme with positive lifestyle support, an approach that has already achieved encouraging results across the Pacific.
He says the centre can accommodate up to 15 participants at a time through structured day programmes, providing another pathway to recovery while allowing participants to remain connected to their families and communities.
Rabuka adds that the programme reflects the powerful truth that recovery does not happen in isolation.
The Prime Minister also shared that every day he looks at his eight grandchildren and hopes they will never become victims of drugs.
The New Zealand Embassy has also provided $1.9 million to the Salvation Army to support the programme.
