Immanuel defends drug fight funding amid Police, RFMF cuts
Asked whether the cuts reflected a lack of commitment, Mr Immanuel pointed to the country’s tight fiscal position.
Friday 18 September 2026 | 08:00
Ongoing joint operations by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the Fiji Police Force targeting illicit drug networks across the country continues.
Photo: Police Media Cell
Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel has rejected claims that Government lacks financial commitment to the war on drugs despite the 2026-2027 Budget cutting allocations for both the Fiji Police Force and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).
The minister’s comments follow concerns that drug abuse, through needle sharing, is a major contributing factor to the increase in HIV cases in Fiji. At the recent Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau, Pacific Governments were urged to invest money and resources to relevant policing institutions in order to effectively fight illicit drugs in the region.
The Police Force received $226.5 million this financial year, down $13.8 million from the previous year, while the RFMF was allocated $152.6 million, a drop from $167.8 million.
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Asked whether the cuts reflected a lack of commitment, Mr Immanuel pointed to the country’s tight fiscal position.
“It is because of this current crisis,” he said.
“We’ve got to make use of whatever resources and finances that we have.”
Mr Immanuel said Government was not relying solely on its own resources to fight drugs, but was working with international partners.
“We’re encouraging them, not only encouraging, but utilising some of our multilateral partners, including Australia and New Zealand and some other governments who are assisting them directly,” he said.
Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has previously said the reduced allocation would not affect the Force’s operations or its fight against drugs, with funding earmarked to fill about 400 vacant positions.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has linked the RFMF’s reduced budget to Fiji scaling back its overseas peacekeeping commitments, after troops were withdrawn from missions in Lebanon and Iraq.
The Joint Counter Narcotics Task Force, formed this year by RFMF and Police, continues to lead operations against illicit drugs and transnational crime, backed by $1.6 million for narcotics operations under the Ministry of Policing.
