PSV drivers warned against drug use this festive season

Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers in Fiji are being warned from using drugs this festive season.

The warning came from Acting Police Commissioner Aporosa Lutunauga, who said drivers must take responsibility for their actions.

“If they know that it is illegal, they should refrain themselves from taking those drugs,” Mr Lutunauga said.

The warning follows the release of a rapid assessment report earlier this month on HIV and drug use in Fiji, which revealed that PSV drivers are injecting methamphetamine to stay awake for 24 to 48 hours while driving passengers.

The findings came from talanoa sessions with participants who reported taxi drivers specifically as a high-risk group for meth use.

“He was a taxi driver. So, he would use, and then obviously, on the meth, to stay awake, to drive 24 hours, and then two days, three days, whatever it may be, before he knew it, he couldn’t stop,” one civil society participant reported.

The report, commissioned by the World Health Organization and United Nations Development Programme, was prepared by the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales in partnership with Fiji National University and other organisations.

However, Mr Lutunauga said the Fiji Police Force have no statistics to confirm the practice.

“The police have not found any PSV driver,” he said.

“We are not part of that compilation of that report.”

Fiji Taxi Association president Mohammed Faiyaz said he was unaware of any such reports and that enforcement responsibility lies with police and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

LTA chief executive officer Irimaia Rokosawa said the authority maintains zero tolerance on illicit drug use among PSV drivers and is finalising regulations for random drug testing.

This masthead understands that civil society organisations have confirmed cases were heard in Talanoa sessions and community members have witnessed such incidents.

Fiji Council of Social Services executive director Vani Catanasiga confirmed some members participated in the research but said cases were not yet widespread.

“I think the most sensible and immediate response is drug tests as a condition for renewal of licenses,” Ms Catanasiga said.

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