The Vanua o Bau has moved to stamp out drug use, with the chief and three Liuliu ni Yavusa approving the removal of anyone caught consuming or selling narcotics.
The chiefs’ spokesman, Turaga na Tunitoga, Ratu Aisea Komaitai, said the measure is now part of the village by-laws, reinforcing a zero-tolerance approach to drugs.
Ratu Aisea said the Vanua o Bau has long been educating its people on the dangers of hardcore drugs at every opportunity.
“In our village, church, school, youths, rugby team, vanua meetings, and social gatherings, we’ve been preaching, lecturing, advising, and informing our youths and the younger generation about the wrath of drugs,” he said.
“Our people need to know the bad, the ugly and the destruction of how drugs can impact us.”
Ratu Aisea reiterated that drugs are forbidden in villages and settlements, and law enforcement will be contacted before offenders are ordered to move out.
“You will be removed from the villages and its settlements,” Ratu Aisea said.
