Archbishop Peter Loy Chong urged families, communities and churches to offer “love, belonging and guidance” to vulnerable young people as a central response to rising concerns over youth substance abuse, speaking at an Easter youth celebration at the Civic Centre in Suva yesterday.
Addressing a crowd convened for the annual event, Loy Chong argued the problem goes beyond illicit substances and must be understood as a symptom of deeper human needs. “There’s a lot of discussion about drugs; behind the drugs is a person that is hungry for love,” he said. “Behind drugs is a person, behind that person is someone that needs love.” He added: “A kid changing his ways depends on the love he is given.”
Speaking through the Fiji Council of Churches, the archbishop said rebuilding young people’s sense of self-worth and a solid spiritual identity should be central to prevention and recovery efforts. He warned that without consistent emotional and spiritual support, vulnerable youths remain at risk of falling into destructive paths, and he urged church-based programmes to work in partnership with families and community services.
Loy Chong’s call comes amid growing public concern about substance abuse among young Fijians, and echoes recent appeals from other civic leaders for a whole-of-society response. In recent months police and social-service officials have also urged families and communities to be more proactive in protecting children and adolescents, saying public safety and welfare depend on local engagement as much as on law enforcement.
The archbishop framed his message around practical compassion: recognising each young person’s humanity, offering non-judgemental care, and strengthening avenues for belonging through family ties, faith communities and local support networks. He said spiritual formation and moral guidance can help young people resist pressures that lead to substance misuse, but stressed such programmes must be matched by love and consistent attention at home.
Organisers at the Civic Centre said the Easter youth celebration brought together church leaders, parish youth groups and community volunteers to mark the holiday and to discuss challenges facing Fiji’s young people. Loy Chong used the platform to press for coordinated action between churches, schools and families, urging them to identify at-risk youths early and to deliver sustained, compassionate mentoring rather than short-term interventions.
The archbishop’s remarks add a faith-led voice to an expanding public debate on how best to prevent and respond to youth substance abuse. By centring the argument on belonging and self-worth, Loy Chong sought to shift some emphasis from punitive measures to restorative, community-based approaches — a message likely to shape discussions among religious organisations and social-service providers in the weeks ahead.
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