Corrections Service honours fallen officers

The Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) honoured nine fallen officers at a dawn service in Naboro today, remembering their sacrifice, dedication and service to the nation.

Acting Commissioner of Corrections Auta Moceisuva said the officers had dedicated themselves to serving Fiji, upholding justice and protecting vulnerable members of society.

The ceremony brought together families of the fallen officers, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Fiji Police Force, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the FCS personnel to pay tribute to the officers.

Mr Moceisuva said the nine officers came from different provinces, backgrounds and walks of life but shared a commitment to duty, justice and humanity.

He said their service reflected the institution’s responsibility to protect the vulnerable, reform offenders and help those who had lost their way rebuild their lives.

Mr Moceisuva also acknowledged the grief experienced by the families left behind, saying the loss of a loved one left an enduring void.

He thanked the families for attending the ceremony and standing alongside the institution as it remembered their loved ones.

However, he assured them that their loss was shared by the wider corrections community and urged serving officers to carry forward the courage, integrity and dedication demonstrated by their fallen colleagues.

The ceremony also provided an opportunity for families to reflect on the lives and memories of those they had lost.

Among those attending was Taniela Rokowaqa, 42, from Tavia, Levuka, Ovalau, who came to remember his nephew, Pauliasi Rokowaqa, who died in May 2019.

Mr Rokowaqa said he and Pauliasi grew up together in the same household, where his nephew was raised by his parents.

He described Pauliasi, who was 26 when he died, as an obedient and disciplined young man who spoke directly and was looked up to by his siblings.

“We were happy when he joined the force, but his death was a shock that we did not expect,” he said.

Pauliasi joined the service in 2018 and was first posted to Labasa before spending a few weeks in Korovou. He was later posted to Natabua, where he died.

His uncle said Pauliasi had recently become engaged to his partner in May 2019 and was planning to visit the partner’s family in July.

However, those plans were cut short by his death.

Mr Rokowaqa said the family continued to feel the loss, with even the mention of Pauliasi’s name bringing back painful memories.

His message to other families who had lost loved ones was to keep their memories close to their hearts.

The dawn service honoured the nine officers and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to remembering their service and supporting the families they left behind