Time for iTaukei to face up to the truth

The alarming revelation that Tailevu leads all provinces in Fiji's inmate population is not just a statistic, it's a national shame that calls for brutal honesty and decisive action. The time for excuses is over.

For too long, the iTaukei have dominated the cor­rectional system, and the numbers continue to climb.

This is not merely a Tailevu issue, it's an iTaukei cri­sis. Unless addressed urgently, the indigenous peo­ple of this land will continue to play second fiddle in their own country, trapped by cycles of failure built at home. The uncomfortable truth is that the real problem begins at the village level, inside our own homes.

As Tailevu Provincial Council chairman Ratu Semi Matalau rightly said, the crisis stems from where people come from, the families they were raised in, and the communities they live in. Chiefs, church leaders, and especially parents must take ownership of this moral breakdown.

The home is supposed to be the first school of dis­cipline, respect, and faith. Yet, too many iTaukei homes today have turned into breeding grounds for negligence, where children grow up without direc­tion, while parents drown in social obligations, end­less kava sessions, and village gossip.

Let's be clea, unemployment or poverty do not cre­ate criminals. Poor parenting does. The failure to teach responsibility, respect, and hard work has pro­duced a generation that sees crime as an escape and prison as normal.

Every iTaukei parent must now look in the mirror and ask: Am I raising my child for greatness or failure? The year is drawing to an end. Soon, many will gather for festive events, yet the same cycle will re­peat-drunkenness, domestic violence, and arrests. Enough is enough.

The iTaukei community must wake up, set new standards at home, and take back moral leadership before another generation is lost behind prison bars. It's time to stop blaming others.

The solution begin, and ends, at home.