The Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Social Protection Selina Kuruleca says they have been in consultation with the Fiji Police Force, and that Police can now prosecute parents for negligence if their children continue to live on the streets.
While responding to a question from Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence member Virendra Lal on what the Ministry is doing regarding children seen loitering and selling food in towns and cities, Kuruleca says everyone needs to work with Police when it comes to the safety of children.
She says they have also been working with Police in street sweeps, where children who are supposed to be in school but are on the streets are taken back to their homes.
She adds that sometimes these children return to the streets after a few days, and some are not very truthful about who their parents are and where they live.
Insert: Kuruleca on negligence, 25th Mar 26
Kuruleca also highlighted that they are increasing street sweeps not only for children, but also for the elderly, as they have noticed a rise in the number of elderly people on the streets.
She says they have been taking elderly people to homes such as Saint Pius X Parish in Raiwaqa and Golden Age Homes.
The Permanent Secretary says that in cases where officers notice possible mental health issues, they contact St Giles Hospital to have individuals admitted for proper assessment before further intervention.
Kuruleca says they have also noticed that one reason more elderly people are on the streets is because they have been pushed out of their homes after signing over property titles to their children.
