The Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have begun drafting strict new roadside drug-testing protocols as part of a government “zero-tolerance” push to remove impaired drivers from Fiji’s roads, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The move follows a string of recent traffic incidents and an uptick in tests that have returned positive for illegal drugs, prompting ministers to fast-track preparations for fresh legislation.
LTA Chief Executive Irimaia Rokosawa said the authority has already recorded a confirmed positive result from a urine test taken while a driver was receiving treatment in hospital. “Because in the manner in which some accidents are happening and some recent accidents, there have been tests. And there are positive blood tests that have come out in terms of consumption of illegal drugs,” Rokosawa told reporters, underscoring that both blood and urine analyses have been used in recent investigations.
Transport Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said discussions on introducing stricter roadside testing and associated laws took place “a month or two ago” and that he expects officials to accelerate the process. “And that is definitely something that we should be implementing,” he said, stressing the need for urgent progress given the perceived rise in drug-related crashes and positive test results among motorists.
But Assistant Minister for Transport Naisa Tuinaceva cautioned that work remains to ensure any new laws are operationally sound and publicly defensible before being tabled in Parliament. “To get the legislation in place, they have to go through every aspect of performing the law so that it can be done in a way that you don’t come back and there’s a backlash to it,” she said, signalling that the Ministry and LTA intend to complete detailed procedural and enforcement planning to avoid legal or implementation problems.
Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu welcomed the legislative focus but warned implementation and enforcement will determine whether road safety improves. “The bottom line is we are to ensure that our roads are safe. And whatever legislation that we have in place, we must make sure that it supports the key issue of the protection of our people,” he said, adding that weak enforcement could leave road users at greater risk.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of intensified drug enforcement activity and several high-profile drug-related prosecutions and arrests in recent months, which officials say have highlighted the need to better detect and deter impaired driving. The Ministry and LTA have not yet released the detailed protocols under consideration, including which testing technologies would be used at roadside, how samples would be processed, or the legal thresholds that would constitute an offence. Ministers say those technical and operational details will be finalised before formal legislation is introduced and implementation begins.
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