Community leaders urged to take stronger role in drug fight

Drug trafficking can only thrive when communities become vulnerable, negligent and casual about crime, says a Taveuni leader.

Tikina Wainikeli Community Policing chairman Benidito Masikau said traditional and community leaders needed to work together to combat drug trafficking.

Mr Masikau, who was recently appointed acting interim president pending a community meeting in Taveuni, said leaders, parents and elders had three key responsibilities: to educate, provide for and protect those under their care.

Speaking at a community policing meeting, he said a stronger partnership between the Vanua, Tikina elders, provincial authorities and other institutions was needed.

“I think we have to incorporate the vanua, the tikina elders, provincial, and other institutional bodies in our local villages and local areas, in order to work together as a cohesive group in combating crime in Fiji, especially drug trafficking,” he said.

Mr Masikau said communities needed to recognise their role in preventing crime rather than leaving the responsibility solely to police.

He said he attended the meeting to learn from the discussions and take the knowledge back to Taveuni.

Mr Masikau said Taveuni had 18 villages, as well as estates and other settlements, with a population of more than 18,000.

He said he would not elaborate on crimes committed in Taveuni because he did not want to contradict police records.

“I have something to take back to my people,” he said.

Mr Masikau said he hoped to regroup communities in Taveuni so they could contribute to wider community policing efforts in the Northern Division.