Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged Pacific leaders and law enforcement officials in the Micronesian region, particularly those from Kiribati, to take advantage of police recruitment training programs available in Fiji.
In his keynote speech at the recent CHOGM 2024 Pacific Policing Event held in Samoa, Mr. Rabuka stated that this opportunity extends beyond Kiribati, inviting other small island nations to participate in the training in Fiji.
“My initial role was to encourage our Micronesian friends, especially in Kiribati, to re-engage with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF),” Mr. Rabuka said. He mentioned that he had offered to send training teams from the Fiji Police to aid in the development of their police forces.
He noted that some police departments from various islands have already been sending their recruits to train in Fiji. Mr. Rabuka reaffirmed that this offer remains open for Kiribati and any other islands seeking training opportunities.
Additionally, he highlighted that Fiji’s security forces receive training alongside special forces and military personnel from the United States, which has enabled them to send recruits abroad for further training.
“A colleague of mine has a training institution there, providing opportunities for our security forces, and we intend to keep that pathway open,” he commented. Mr. Rabuka also mentioned that VIP security or police protection officers interested in similar training will have that option available.
Today, the Prime Minister is in Noumea, New Caledonia, along with three other Pacific leaders as part of a Pacific Islands Forum initiative to visit the nation, which faced civil unrest earlier this year.
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