Greed, unemployment, 'freebie culture' driving Fiji’s drug crisis

Greed, unemployment, and a “freebie culture” are fueling Fiji’s rising narcotics problem, a public consultation has heard.

The comments came from Selwa Nandan, Girmit Centre manager and former law enforcement officer, during the draft Counter-Narcotics Law consultation in Lautoka yesterday.

Mr Nandan, who previously headed fraud investigations at the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, said the root causes of drug use and trafficking extended beyond policing and legislation.

“The main driving force is greed for easy money. People are becoming very lazy nowadays,” he said.

He added that unemployment and the pursuit of quick cash were pushing some Fijians into drug-related activities, while businesses struggled to find reliable workers.

“You look at the number of foreign workers coming in. Why? Because local employers cannot find suitable people to work,” he said.

Referring to a high-profile case of a wealthy Lautoka businessman convicted overseas for drug smuggling, Mr Nandan said even the affluent were not immune.

“He told the parole board that ‘Greed for money drove me to do what I did.’ If a rich person can say that, what about the unemployed?” he said.

Freebies and handouts

Mr Nandan also linked government assistance schemes to what he described as a growing dependency mindset.

“All these handouts, free tuition, free bus fare, back-to-school allowances — we must review the impact. Despite government assistance, children are still going to school without lunch, and some do not even have the proper school supplies,” he said.

“Where is all the money going? Parents take these things for granted. We are not helping them. We are making them lazier,” he added.

Mr Nandan said drug use was affecting all levels of society.

“Some senior management people are on meth. They only come to work three days a week. This is happening in our society,” he said.