We have a positive business story on the front page of The Fiji Times for Saturday, January 18. It stands out alongside the lead story!
Labasa will witness a number of major multimillion-dollar investment projects all to the tune of $45million that is anticipated to be injected into the northern economy. Investment Fiji has confirmed that eight investment projects are lined up for the Northern Division, including the development and construction of commercial spaces and buildings, and hotel establishments.
DIRTY cops still exist in the Fiji Police Force but Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew has vowed they will be flushed out. His comments followed a surprise raid at a police officer’s residence this week where 6037 branches of dried leaves believed to be marijuana were found. Meanwhile, incoming Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has warned of an emerging drug problem in the Northern Division as developments increase. He said a drug triangle was already in operation in Vanua Levu.
OPPOSITION member of Parliament Jone Usamate is calling on the Government to hear the plea of the Taveuni yaqona farmers and ban the sale of green yaqona. He said the measure would help curb the increasing theft of the crop which was “at an all-time high on the island”.
Synopsis
Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew says he will support the incoming Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu in cleaning up the Fiji Police Force. His statement comes in the wake of the discovery of 6037 branches of dried leaves – believed to be marijuana – at a police officer’s residence this week. The officer has since been charged!
Mr Fong Chew summed up the sobering news by saying to his officers: “Enough warnings, you will be removed.”
This isn’t the kind of news we want right now.
It comes in the wake of news of police officers in Nadi being investigated for allegedly taking a bribe and this was reported last Sunday.
The officers, who according to West Police Commander Senior Superintendent of Police Iakobo Vaisewa, were young constables, were sent on leave pending an investigation.
The revelations come at a time when the Fiji Police Force is working to rebuild its credibility and restore public trust.
This is serious and demands swift and decisive action.
There will be many questions asked about the state of our force right now.
How did we get to this stage?
What is it that is causing problems for the force?
This latest report is actually shocking!
It takes a swipe at the credibility of the force, tarnishing its image.
It is a very poor reflection of the force and what it stands for.
It goes against everything good and committed policemen and women stand for.
It goes against the rules that govern police work.
It questions the integrity of the force and the commitment of its men and women, when it should not be the case because there are thousands of policemen and women who are committed to their calling. The actions of a few do not reflect the commitment of the many!
They are passionate about what they do.
They don’t deserve to be cast aside by officers who disregard their roles and responsibility.
So we ask again, are we doing enough for our men and women in blue?
Are they adequately paid for the work they are expected to do?
Are we happy with our recruitment process and are we identifying the best young crop of men and women to continue the legacy of integrity built by so many good police officers over the years?
Do we have the processes and systems in place to keep our officers motivated, focused and committed to do their jobs?
In saying that, we realise there are bribes, and financial incentives out there. The challenge is going to be on our officers to rise above that, and stay true to their important role! We also reflect on the fact that there are bad cops in other countries as well.
Mr Fong Chew said the organisation’s stand on the issue of drugs had never wavered.
They would not tolerate any officer involved in any illicit activity.
He said it was difficult to regain credibility when incidents like this happened, especially when one considered that the police force is expected to enforce the law.
“There is a concerted effort by the majority to clean up the organisation, as we understand that in order to gain and maintain trust, we need to be taking the lead role with regards to the adherence of the law.”
This campaign to clean up our force needs our support. It will be good for the country, and for us as citizens!
The credibility of the force is important for the overall health and development of our country.
We are talking about building trust with the public, supporting the rule of law, fighting crime, and encouraging a sense of security and stability, ensuring we all feel protected and treated fairly under the laws of our country.
