It has become distressingly obvious that the Fiji Police is rotten to the core – its integrity so compromised that far from being guardian and protector, the Force has become a danger to public safety.
The drug trade is now so pervasive and its impact so insidious that every time there is a victory in the war against drugs, it is undermined by the police themselves. The latest theft from Totogo police station in central Suva of seized methamphetamine is the final straw. It is just too brazen and egregious to be ignored. And it is time for heads to roll and for a complete rethink about the management of the Force.
Public confidence in the Fiji Police has collapsed and it must be one of the Coalition government’s most pressing priorities to stop the rot and start rebuilding that confidence. And it can start with accepting that it is beyond the capacity of the current Acting Police Commissioner, Juki Fong Chew, and his senior officers to win the war on drugs.
The government needs to put the entire Force on a war footing and that means urgently addressing the lack of experience highlighted by the former assistant police commissioner, Henry Brown, on the front page of today’s Fiji Times. Henry Brown says Juki Fong Chew needs properly trained and experienced people around him. No, it is the Commissioner himself who needs to be better trained and experienced and it is clear that Juki Fong Chew is out of his depth.
So what should happen now? A complete rethink on the part of the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, and the Homes Affairs Minister, Pio Tikoduadua, about the leadership of the Force. Fortunately for them, they have a man with experience ready and able to step into Juki Fong Chew’s boots – the former Acting Commissioner, Rusiate Tudravu.
Tudravu resigned from the force two years ago after 38 years experience when he clashed with the now suspended Commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho, after Qiliho returned from his year’s military training in Britain and Tudravu was obliged to step back to his assistant’s position. But he has experience that Juki Fong Chew doesn’t have and an impeccable reputation for integrity. By all means keep Juki Fong Chew in a secondary position. But recent events do not inspire confidence in his leadership.
This crisis is now so grave that Fiji also needs top level international assistance if this fight is to be won. So the Coalition must put aside its obsession with localisation and get senior police officers from overseas with the requisite experience in fighting the drug trade.
Ideally, Rusiate Tudravu as police commissioner would have one or two expatriate deputies from Australia, New Zealand or Britain with specialist knowledge of the latest methods of crime prevention and especially dealing with the explosion in the drug trade that we are currently experiencing in Fiji. We simply don’t have the capacity to deal with this threat on our own.
We can be confident that these governments would be willing to help. And frankly Fiji has no choice or we are going to lose this war, with devastating consequences for law and order in the country and the future of our young people. Juki Fong Chew has had his chance. Now it is time to bring back Rusiate Tudravu and surround him with top crime fighters from overseas.
You have it in a nut shell.
Having experience years of frustration in the fight against dvd
Piracy now shifting to USb.
This is our experiences and that of few others.
Fiji is very unsafe.
If you are a young tourist please do not consider visiting Fiji.
If you are a woman please don’t go.
Many young ones have been uplifted from Fiji after sexual violence on them. They are drugged, raped, and left to the dogs. And this has happened in elite resorts that call themselves the best family resorts. You can take a quick scan to see which managers resigned or got fired recently from their jobs. These managers were selling and supplying drugs on the resort.
I strongly urge all Fijians to be careful sending their children home for holidays too. It is not safe. The Police do not care. They do not even take reports and turn their backs on the victims.
Keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Don’t go or send anyone to Fiji in the name of a holiday. Too dangerous.
Police in Fiji
1. Police cars and vans drive most recklessly on the roads, shouting at people, tooting horns and overtaking in dangerous situations.
2. Will document your complaint but never follow it up or investigate until you call them 5 more times.
3. Will take 2 to 3 days to come and investigate a house break in and where the thieves face is visible on camera, they will tell you this guy just out from prison so we don’t know where he is.
4. Will arrive with 5 minutes past 11 pm to your home if the music is a little bit loud and demand you shut it down.
5. Now cant even guard drugs.
Public is totally losing trust in police because of their incompetence and behaviour.
There’s a reason foxes are not left in charge of the henhouse. Fiji has had a year of chaos and selling out. Drugs, tax holidays, and collapse of governance in no time all comes down to slack and hopeless leaders. Get rich quick and who cares about the people showing Fiji is in a downward spiral. very sad to see
Instead of spending tons of money having Fiji Tourism gain new markets by flying to Japan etc, the govt needs to focus at home. They should have realised that an inept and corrupt police and racism will undoubtedly affect tourism, along with plastic bottles covering the beaches. Safety has to be priority for all people, Fijian and tourists alike. A brand new police force with trained individuals is the only way and thus must be implemented soon. When you go to the police and they don’t make arrests, it’s very painful on the victim.
FIJI POLICE FORCE – THE BEST POLICE MONEY CAN BUY.
It is about leadership, and the FPF wasn’t this bad under the previous government.
Huh? Bro, we talking about the same country? Most people will not agree with your comment as the rot, corruption and thuggery became entrenched in 16 years of FF rule. The challenge now is to root out the bad eggs.
We need to stand up for Fiji.
Firstly, FijiFirst didn’t rule for 16 years.
Secondly, I am admitting that policing was bad under the previous government but now worse.