Three significant stories feature on the front page of The Fiji Times for Thursday, September 12.
A recent UNICEF study highlights that children are particularly affected in families where parents work abroad. Issues such as truancy, discipline problems, and mental health concerns have surfaced as social implications of the physical separation between children and their migrant worker parents. While the financial advantages of Pacific labor mobility are clear, the study notes that some families face gaps in remittances, with financial aid not reaching caregivers and children effectively.
In another troubling report, urban and rural secondary schools have reportedly become hotspots for illegal drug trafficking, with the issue impacting students across the board.
Additionally, the family of Shabreen Shain Ali, a 28-year-old woman found dead in Raiwaqa, is demanding justice, believing she was murdered. Her mother, Anjila Wati Prasad, and sister, Sherim Kumar, expressed their grief, stating Ali’s face was unrecognizable, and she was identified by a tattoo bearing her partner’s name.
On Koro Island, the alarming trend of students being found with and dealing drugs, particularly marijuana, underscores a serious issue. Tevita Vunileba, chairman of the Koro Island Crime Prevention Committee, reported that educators, law enforcement, and community members have been proactive in addressing the issue. Some students were expelled or told to transfer schools after being found involved in these activities, often acting as salespeople for drug dealers.
This trend is part of a larger issue seen across the country, as discussions about drug use among adolescents, including methamphetamine, have been ongoing since at least 2017. Authorities warned that without adequate control measures, drug trafficking could escalate into a severe security concern. The current situation raises pressing questions about the delay in effectively addressing the drug trade within communities.
The involvement of students in drug use and trafficking is emblematic of a more extensive and troubling concern that extends beyond Koro Island, underscoring the urgent need for community engagement and awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking.