Drug problem starts at home, says Archbishop Chong

The head of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Arch­bishop Peter Loy Chong, says punishment and violence will not solve the growing drug problem in Fiji, emphasising the role of family.

Archbishop Loy Chong be­lieves Fiji's drug problem is rooted in the lack of love, strong family foundations and value­based education in homes.

The Archbishop was part of a meeting of church leaders in Suva on Friday to discuss the role churches could provide to help Police deal with drug is­sues affecting the country, par­ticularly young people.

Archbishop Loy Chong said children who grow up without love, stability and healthy fam­ily relationships become vul­nerable to drugs, violence and other social problems.

He said violence couldn't be used to teach values, stressing that "violence is not a value" and that respect for dignity, freedom and human worth must be learned in loving envi­ronments.

"By the time children reach school, many already carry discipline and behavioural is­sues shaped by their home en­vironment, particularly those exposed to domestic violence," he said.

Archbishop Loy Chong high­lighted the importance of education in families, where parents needed guidance and preparation on how to build loving and supportive relation­ships.

Schools have a critical role, but the current approach was too focused on academics and neglected the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of students.

He called for value added edu­cation, including campus and youth ministry programmes, to help young people heal from trauma, build self-worth and develop strong moral founda­tions.

Drugs, domestic violence and poor discipline were closely connected and require a ho­listic response that address the whole person emotionally, spiritually and socially rather than relying on corporal pun­ishment.

The Archbishop stressed that the solution lay in creating en­vironments of love, respect and open communication, where young people are listened to rather than talked down to.

He called on Government to invest more in strengthening families.