Calls for government investment in neighbourhood watch zones and greater support for junior police officers featured prominently at this week’s national budget consultation in Nadi, with community leaders linking improved local policing to rising social problems such as drug use and HIV/AIDS.
Fiji Airways captain Seini Koroitamana Cornish told the consultation that neighbourhood watch zones were “crucial for residents’ safety” and urged the state to focus on empowering younger people in law enforcement. “We are looking at the younger policemen to interact with the communities and have some responsibility early when they start. It might be fun for them,” she said, adding that community-based measures could reduce pressure to deploy the military in response to crime. “So, I would not mind investing in neighbourhood watch zones to support the young police officers and we do not have to go straight to the army if that falls short.”
Also speaking at the Nadi forum, private practitioner Dr Ahmed Shariff stressed that enforcement difficulties were underpinned by resourcing and remuneration problems within the Fiji Police Force. “When we talk about not getting looked after, that means our police officers are not getting paid enough,” Dr Shariff said, pointing to shortages of vehicles and equipment. He warned that those shortfalls had broader social consequences, linking reduced policing capacity to increases in drug-related harms and a rise in HIV/AIDS cases, particularly among vulnerable youth.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel acknowledged the submissions during the session, signalling that community policing proposals had been heard by decision-makers. “The Government also encouraged community-based policing servicing neighbourhood watch zones,” he told attendees, noting the consultations feed into budget prioritisation. He did not, however, outline concrete funding commitments at the Nadi meeting.
The exchange reflects growing public debate about how to marry conventional policing with community-led safety initiatives. Proponents at the consultation argued that formal neighbourhood watch zones could create structured points of contact between young police officers and residents, foster local ownership of safety measures and improve early intervention on issues such as substance abuse. Critics have previously warned such schemes require sustainable funding, training and clear oversight to avoid gaps in accountability.
Those who spoke at the consultation framed their recommendations as preventative as much as punitive. Cornish emphasised the value of early responsibility for junior officers to build trust and local knowledge, while Dr Shariff linked stronger enforcement and resourcing to improved health and socio-economic outcomes. The submissions in Nadi join similar community voices nationwide as the Government collects input ahead of this year’s budget cycle.
How the finance ministry and relevant agencies ultimately respond will determine whether neighbourhood watch zones move from proposal to funded program. For now, the Nadi consultation has placed community policing and the welfare of junior officers squarely on the public agenda, with health and safety professionals urging policymakers to consider the wider social benefits of investing in neighbourhood-level security.
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