There has been a noticeable shift in the rhythm of Suva’s streets.
Security personnel across the capital’s Central Business District have observed a steady decline in the number of loiterers and street dwellers over the past week – an outcome many are linking to the ongoing joint drug and crime operation led by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Fiji Police Force.
A veteran security guard stationed at an arcade in Suva said the change was hard to miss.
Jotame, who preferred not to share his full name, said gatherings that once defined the city’s daily scene have thinned out significantly.
“You’ll see them on Sundays, during the meal drive,” he said.
“Other than that, the number of loiterers, especially the young street dwellers, has decreased.”
He added that on most days, only one or two individuals are seen resting outside shops.
Similar observations were echoed by a security guard at a fast-food restaurant, who also chose to remain anonymous. He said the drop in numbers has been striking.
“Different street dwellers – kids and adults, men and women – used to hang around here asking for help, but now they are rarely seen,” he noted.
At another location, a guard at an insurance company pointed out that the morning presence of people seeking assistance outside a popular bakery has also diminished.
“There used to be different faces of street dwellers every morning begging outside the bakery, but now we hardly see any,” he added.
The security personnel interviewed believe the decline is tied to intensified operations targeting drugs and crime.
A Suva local who has lived on the streets for more years shared a similar view.
Ifereimi Naitavuni said the presence of the joint task force had changed behaviour in public spaces.
“Because of the joint task force of the RFMF and Fiji Police, people are now more conscious of what they are doing in public,” he said.
“Street dwellers and loiterers have toned down in numbers.”
He added that even those who were previously intoxicated and disruptive were no longer as rowdy as before.
However, the shift does not mean the issue has disappeared entirely. On the fringes of the CBD, some loiterers can still be found gathering in quieter areas such as Thurston Gardens and behind the Suva Bowling Club, where individuals have been seen washing and drying clothes.
