The Turaga ni Mataqali and Turaga ni Yavusa of Wanavusa in Narewa Village, Ra, Lekima Lewaitoakula, has expressed his support for the appointment of village special constables to look after affairs in the village.
While making submissions on the Police Bill and Electoral (Amendment) Bill before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, Lewaitoakula says he supports the Police Commissioner’s proposal to appoint village special constables because there is trust issues when Police goes to a village.
He says people tend to hide when a Police vehicle enters the village, as they assume the Police will take them into custody.
He adds that if someone from the village is given the role of looking after village affairs, people will respect them and be less likely to hide.
He also highlighted the need for forensic pathologists to be governed under separate legislation rather than being included in the Police Bill, saying there could be concerns about the court’s interpretation of findings from the forensic team.
Speaking on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, the Turaga ni Yavusa says he supports the proposal for election officials to provide transportation for people in rural areas on polling day.
He says in previous elections, some rural polling stations recorded low voter turnout because of the challenges voters faced in reaching their polling stations.
He is calling on the Elections Office to provide transport for voters, especially those living in rural areas where access to transportation is a challenge.
