Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged every part of Fijian society to join the government’s stepped-up campaign against illegal drugs, as he announced an expansion of enforcement and surveillance measures in Parliament during his Right of Reply to the President’s Address. Rabuka said the response will combine increased police deployment and intelligence‑led operations with modern surveillance technology, and he stressed that arresting dealers alone will not solve the widening social harms caused by drug abuse.
Rabuka outlined what he described as a strengthened operational posture by law enforcement, including the redeployment of officers into higher‑risk neighbourhoods and a sharper focus on intelligence‑driven raids and investigations. He said the government will also expand the use of modern surveillance tools — specifically naming plans to install CCTV systems in identified high‑risk areas — to support targeted policing and evidence gathering.
The Prime Minister was emphatic that law enforcement cannot carry the burden in isolation. “The fight against drugs must also involve communities, families, schools and religious institutions. A whole‑of‑society approach is essential,” Rabuka said, calling for greater community participation in prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation efforts. His comments build on recent appeals from policing officials and community leaders that urged faith groups and traditional authorities to play a more active role in prevention work.
Rabuka also flagged stepped‑up regional cooperation to stem the flow of illicit drugs into Fiji, saying enhanced monitoring and partnerships with neighbouring countries are vital to disrupting trafficking networks. That diplomatic and operational strand complements recent moves to tighten border controls and technical assistance, including earlier cooperation with Australian authorities on cargo inspection techniques and the transfer of specialised equipment to bolster detection at ports.
The government’s renewed emphasis on prevention and social support was reiterated alongside the security measures. Rabuka said national efforts will include coordinated action to mitigate the social impacts of drug abuse — from youth outreach and school‑based programmes to support services for affected families. This policy direction aligns with an announced international effort earlier this year in which Japan committed $5.48 million to a UNICEF‑led programme aimed at protecting young people and scaling prevention and early intervention services across Fiji.
The Prime Minister’s statement comes amid heightened public concern over drug‑related crime and community harm, and follows a series of high‑profile seizures and intensified police operations that have put the issue at the centre of national debate. Rabuka framed the package of measures as a timely escalation of both enforcement and community‑level responses, and said the government remains committed to protecting communities through a coordinated national approach.
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