There are mixed views on crime rates in the country.

Nevertheless, all parties have strategies in place on ways to go about curbing crime in the country. Below is an overview of who’s going to do what.

Fiji Labour Party

Fully equip the Police force with the requisite equipment and professional and technical skills to effectively combat all kinds of crime.

• In regards to the military, Labour believes that the armed forces must remain under the control of the government exercised through cabinet and the minister responsible and their deployment either in Fiji or abroad to receive the approval of Parliament

• For judiciary, a code of conduct would be considered for holders of all high public offices based on the Bangalore principles and judges and magistrates would be required to deliver their rulings within six months of the conclusion of hearing.

Peoples Democratic Party

The party’s manifesto claimed it was no secret that in the past eight years, the levels of crime and corruption had risen to an all time high. The party would be reviewing the Police force, its effectiveness and provide vigorous training.

• It would increase the capacity to combat high crime, serious and organised crimes and sophisticated white collar crimes; and

• Implement regular upskilling of members of the Police force;

• Provide better training for our Criminal Investigation Department and forensics personnel to improve their levels of crime detection.

The party would also be working with corrections for greater rehabilitation and work with all stakeholders to reduce the number of repeat offending.

National Federation Party

The National Federation Party under law and order would adequately resource and empower the Police Force to respond effectively to reported cases, including the provision of efficient transport and equipment.

NFP would modernise the Police Force by equipping it with latest technology, including computerised reporting systems. NFP would initiate the networking of Police stations across the country for intelligence sharing and crime investigation.

It would make the investigation process swift, transparent, fair and decisive.

Fiji United Freedom Party

“We propose for the city/town councils to allocate a certain amount for each community (eg. community or area of 100 families) to set up neighbourhood watch programmes or community policing programmes that are in conjunction with Police,” party president Jagath Karunaratne said.

Secondly, the party proposes that the military forces be amalgamated to a certain extent with the Police force to share policing and administration duties where possible.

“This can also be achieved by having a special women platoon that can be utilised in the administration arm of the army and Police and also focus mainly on welfare and security of people.

“While the military is properly trained for peacekeeping duties locally or overseas they can also be utilised in community policing activities, welfare projects and any other community projects such as education on commercial farming, small medium businesses where special training and education is provided to the military.”

SODELPA

Party leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said they would like to believe that the Police were correct and the crime rates had dropped however they disagreed.

“One of which is the continued fear and distrust that people have in the law. There have been many cases that have been reported to the Police and yet some of these cases have not been resolved,” she said.

A SODELPA government would address the issue of crime from many perspectives. First is to ensure a clean and neat Police outfit that is well-trained, well-equiped and well-looked after.

“This will inspire confidence and an attitude of willingness to go the extra mile from our officers,” Ro Teimumu said.

“At the same time, we will address the underlying social issues that lead to crime like unemployment and high cost of living amongst many others, which we believe usually go hand-in-hand with crime if not addressed.

The party expects in the first 100 days of their being in government, they would be able to address the major issues which range from operations, manpower, management, remuneration and people welfare and so we expect the effect of these to reflect immediately and gradually in the reduction in crime.

FijiFirst

The best guarantee of safety is a Police force that is professional, well-equipped and trained, adequately compensated, and supported by science whereby the Police received an increased budget. The force received $111.7million with $1.4m provided for the purchase of forensic biology and DNA laboratory equipment, pathologist equipment and a drug analysis machine.

Prime Minister and FijiFirst leader Voreqe Bainimarama said this would help ensure that Police work was more effective; that fewer people were falsely accused; that wrongdoers were more quickly identified, and that cases were brought to trial with evidence that was more solid.

“We are also taking steps in this budget to increase the security of our prisons and to address the pressing issue of overcrowding. The people need to be assured that dangerous convicts will remain in prison once they are sentenced, and all prisons need to be equal to the task of not only of keeping the public safe, but of maintaining humane conditions and encouraging rehabilitation.”

These were some of the things done to uplift the law and order in the country this year.

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