The war against drugs is taking another step up as Fiji looks to Israel to assist us.
During a meeting with the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Sa’ar Gideon Moshe at the 61st Session of the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka requested Israel’s assistance in our war against drugs.
Known for its expertise in counter terrorism and security, Israel has agreed to assist us!
In response, Mr Moshe agreed to provide patrol boats for security agencies to strengthen our border controls.
Israel donated four Dabur class patrol boats to the Fiji Navy in 1991.
For those who still remember this, they were fast patrol boats.
Sure, we may have to consider the impact of that assistance, which will raise important questions about the context in which this assistance is being sought.
Sure, there may be questions raised about aligning ourselves with a country deeply embroiled in the complexities of the Gaza conflict.
Sure, we may be drawn into the complexities of the recent turn of events in the Gaza, the move by US President Donald Trump and his talks about a take-over, an ultimatum on the release of hostages and ‘all hell to break out’, the response by Hamas, and the reality on the ground.
The question is when do we draw the line? Do we even have to draw the line, or consider our predicament above all else, and place that on the highest pedestal! Do we then consider our national priorities and the safety of our people?
We have a fight on our hands. This war against drugs is complex. There are many phases to contend with.
Again, we say, fine, yes, we need assistance. We can’t just bite our lips and say the drugs will disappear off our streets. We can’t just sit back and imagine addicts giving up on drugs, or the pushers and dealers having a change of heart and throwing away the keys to lucrative returns!
We can’t just go about our daily chores and believe that all will be well without our support, and that we will return to a Fiji without methamphetamine, addicts and rising numbers of HIV infected people!
Whatever we think, nothing’s going away just like that!
The bottom line is we need assistance.
We need people taking ownership of our drug crisis. We need people being engaged and saying, yes, we want to be part of the war against drugs!
And while we are at it, The Fiji Times, for the past four years now, has been fighting for the urgent set up of rehabilitation centres.
With our addiction rate growing, and HIV numbers on the rise, the Government must pull out all stops, urgently!
We must have centres set up urgently.
Enough of the big talk! We hear so much talk! Then the months set in, and we hear nothing else about rehab centres! Get the ball moving for the urgent set up of rehab centres with health experts providing services!
There are addicts out there who may be trying to or struggling to get out of the drug habit. They may be fighting a losing battle most of the time! They need to be assisted to get back their lives. If it helps to reduce the addiction rate, and subsequently the dependence on meth, and maybe reduce crimes to fuel drug habits, then this needs us to cut out the big talk and knuckle down and get the ground work up and running to have centres around us.
Again, we say, do we have the political will to make a difference? We need a commitment to end an epidemic that is destroying lives and communities! Let’s step up our efforts!
