A senior official from the Fiji Corrections Service has identified the Nakasi area as a “red zone” due to high levels of drug usage and crime. Assistant Commissioner Administration/Strategic Management Akuila Namakadre has called on students in the area to be smart, strong, and educated to navigate these challenges.
Namakadre spoke at the St John Bosco Primary School’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT) commemoration last Friday. He emphasized the importance of children understanding the risks associated with living in a “red zone.”
“It is very important for children here at St John Bosco to understand this – as you are in the middle of the red zone where drug-related activities and crime go hand in hand,” he stated. He hopes that teachers have communicated this message to their students, stressing the need for students to be vigilant.
Namakadre highlighted that many young people entering the prison system come from backgrounds with absent parents, broken families, or lacking parental figures. He warned that it takes only one cigarette, one drink, or one drug experience to become addicted. “Say no to drugs,” he urged.
Authorities have found used syringes on school grounds and roadsides in the area, prompting Namakadre to advise students to avoid touching such materials as they could be infected. He also linked the rise in drug use to an increase in HIV cases, noting that the use of needles for drug consumption is a contributing factor to the spread of the virus.