Fiji is stepping up its fight against drugs, combining police enforcement with community prevention in a renewed push against the growing drug threat.
Minister for Policing and Communication Ioane Naivalurua said the Counter-Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has been undergoing retraining with the police since last year after a review found it was not fully effective.
He said the need for a dedicated counter-narcotics unit was first identified in 2011 when he was Commissioner of Police, but action was delayed.
“Had we addressed this, had we been decisive about what we should have done, we would perhaps not have been in where we are today,” he said.
Fiji’s drug strategy is guided by a dual approach which he describes as the “black gloves” and “white gloves” strategy.
He said the black gloves strategy focuses on police-led enforcement, including border control, interdiction, and prosecutions, while the white gloves strategy engages communities in prevention and awareness to protect children and future generations.
“The schools need to tighten and review what curriculum needs to be taught, whether it includes drugs.”
Mr Naivalurua emphasised that the retraining and review process is part of rebuilding the CNB to meet the goals outlined in Fiji’s 2023–2028 narcotics strategy which is aimed at tackling drug use and narcotics problems in the country.
“It’s just a rebuilding process, to make sure that when this unit is up and running effectively that it’s there to stay.”
