'We dropped the ball' on drugs and HIV

We dropped the ball.

These were the words of Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) chairman Ratu Viliame Seruvakula when asked what chiefs were saying about transnational organised crime involving drugs and the alarming HIV situation Fiji is in now.

Since the re-establishment of the GCC, discussions have focused heavily on drugs and HIV, issues that have also affected traditional communities and villages.

Ratu Viliame speaking during the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue in Suva yesterday, said the statistics speak for themselves and acknowledged that the collapse and absence of traditional structures within families, villages and communities had contributed to these social problems.

“In all those structures, they are held together by values that form a framework and keep families together. Families are the foundation of the fight to address these issues, and the link that holds these structures together is accountable, forward-looking leadership,” Ratu Viliame said.

“Now that we have this major drug issue in the country, traditional leaders have realised that we need to take control. The only way, from where we sit, that we believe we can contribute to moving this forward is to reform that structure,” he said.

Ratu Viliame said he believed these structures could be restored, regardless of how complex or advanced the challenges had become.

As part of this effort, the GCC has begun working with the current generation of leaders by introducing a Diploma in Traditional Leadership. The programme teaches participants about development and leadership skills in a modern context.

“So what we have done is introduce them to the new challenges we are facing so they understand the consequences of failing to address these issues, particularly those affecting young people. We also want to ensure they are given opportunities to step forward and take on leadership roles.”

He said every community had a vital role to play in the fight against drugs and HIV, and that the Government could not tackle the issues alone.

In February this year, the GCC called for harsher penalties for people bringing illicit drugs into the country.