Officers within Fiji’s Counter Narcotics Bureau will be held to the highest standards of loyalty and honesty, with the organization itself remaining free from corruption.
This perspective was shared by Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua during an appearance on The Lens@177 this week. Tikoduadua stated that the narcotics bureau was his initiative, and if it failed, it would be his legacy.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining good standards within the bureau, highlighting the necessity for officers to adhere to the highest levels of professionalism.
“Corruption will be the biggest threat to this committee,” he said. “If my counter narcotics officers become corrupt, I want to tell them today that they cannot afford to be corrupt.”
Tikoduadua mentioned that the institution would implement a code of conduct to ensure that officers maintained the highest level of professionalism within the system.
He stressed that the effectiveness of a dedicated department to combat narcotics would depend on its personnel. “This organization cannot be corrupt; it should be incorruptible. The professional standard will be upheld and enforced. Any officer joining must meet these high standards. We need to ensure that while controlling drugs, we remain vigilant about our own conduct.”
Tikoduadua also noted that the remuneration of narcotics officers was under review. “It’s crucial to ensure that those working in the narcotics bureau are beyond reproach, and being beyond reproach means they must be well-compensated.”
When asked if he would accept blame if officers in the bureau became corrupt, Tikoduadua acknowledged his accountability as the minister. “I cannot be entirely without blame. This is my creation. If it fails, that’s my legacy. Therefore, I must ensure it works. However, if an officer becomes corrupt due to their own actions, they need to be held accountable. But if it’s due to systemic issues that I neglected to address, then the minister should be held responsible.”