Policing Minister Ioane Naivalurua says mandatory drug testing is important for transparency, but individual rights under the Constitution must also be respected.
Responding to questions from this newspaper on whether mandatory drug testing should be included at policy level, as suggested during the Constitution Review Commission process, Mr Naivalurua said the issue was something he would look into.
He said members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, had undergone drug testing two weeks ago.
“I mean, we started two weeks ago. Members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, we were here and we were tested,” Mr Naivalurua said.
“And those that wanted to be tested, went to be tested.
“It’s an easy test. I mean, it relieves you of a lot of things.”
Mr Naivalurua said there had been public calls for wider drug testing, but this still had to be balanced against personal rights.
“People are saying that we all need to be tested.
“But I think it’s the right of an individual. And we need to respect that too.”
Earlier this month, the Constitution Review Commission heard submissions from the Fiji Police Force on the need to clearly exclude drug testing from the definition of medical testing under section 11(3) of the 2013 Constitution.
Section 11(3) guarantees every person the right to freedom from scientific or medical treatment or procedures without an order of the court or without informed consent.
However, CRC commissioner Dr John Fatiaki said the issue could be addressed through employment policy by requiring police recruits to consent to mandatory drug testing as a condition of joining the force, rather than amending the Constitution.
