Enforcement officers would be given powers to enter and inspect premises used for yaqona operations under the Yaqona (Kava) Bill 2026.
The proposed legislation would allow the Fiji Yaqona Council to appoint suitably qualified officers from the Ministry as enforcement officers to ensure compliance with the new law.
Under the Bill, enforcement officers could enter premises at any reasonable time when yaqona operations were being carried out.
This would cover premises used for the cultivation, processing, storage, importation or exportation of yaqona or yaqona products.
The definition of operations covered by the enforcement provisions includes cultivation, harvesting, storing, processing, pounding, packaging and activities associated with the manufacture of yaqona products.
Officers would also be empowered to inspect records, documents and information relating to activities regulated under the legislation.
They could require individuals to produce relevant records, documents or information and would be permitted to take copies of documents inspected during an enforcement operation.
The Bill would also give officers the power to take samples of yaqona or yaqona products.
Where problems are identified, an enforcement officer could require a person to take corrective measures relating to the cultivation, harvesting or storage of yaqona or yaqona products.
The proposed law states that a person “must comply with a lawful requirement” made by an enforcement officer.
Enforcement officers would be issued identification cards in a form approved by the Council and would be required to produce their identification when requested while exercising their powers.
The enforcement provisions form part of a wider regulatory framework proposed under the Bill, which would establish the Fiji Yaqona Council and introduce registration, licensing and standards for operators across Fiji’s yaqona industry.
