REWA chief Ro Naulu Mataitini has called on national leaders to “forget about Gaza” and focus on Fiji’s spiralling drug epidemic instead.
He said local communities were under siege from narcotics and village bylaws alone were not enough, calling for a national body to coordinate government and grassroots efforts.
“We need action, not just meetings,” he said, urging leaders to protect Fiji’s future before looking abroad.
“Forget about going to Gaza, when we currently have a drug crisis here at home.
The Vanua o Rewa has already mobilised its own defences, he added.
Since late 2023, all 52 villages in the province, including the island of Beqa, have established crime prevention teams (CPT). These units comprises ordinary villagers who act as the first line of defence against the drugs and substance abuse.
These teams operate under a strict ‘See Something, Say Something’ mandate.
The surveillance is particularly intense at Nasali Landing, a critical transit points where about 13,000 “Rewans” commute daily.
He said villagers closely monitored the area, especially during peak traffic times on Thursdays and weekends, to intercept illegal activity.
He further said the Great Council of Chiefs had already called for coordination at a national level, “which is missing”.
“There has to be a central body that can coordinate between the Government and the villages,” he said.
“The GCC wants to see actions and not just meetings, and national leaders need to come together and to ‘walk the talk’ to protect the future generations.”
