The reference to Nakasi as a red zone for drug use and criminal activity is a concern and demands urgent attention.
We highlighted the impact of development along the Suva-Nausori corridor back in 2019, specifically focusing on Nakasi.
Nakasi was laid back with a sense of rural calmness. However, it was evident that Nakasi was set to grow as development progressed and people moved into any area they could find close to the Capital City of Suva.
Nasinu was earmarked for growth and a population boom by then. People once lived in relative peace and quiet with almost none of the stress that’s there now.
It was a developing area along the busy Suva-Nausori corridor. Empty spaces were soon taken up by economic development and the increase in the number of people moving into the corridor.
Naturally, growth meant expansion in housing and a rise in population. This, in turn, led to an increase in commuters to and from Suva, culminating in heavy traffic observed daily.
In such a densely populated section of this busy corridor, the setting was right for an economic explosion. Along with this came human traffic and economic reality.
Now, a senior Fiji Corrections Service staff member has referred to Nakasi as a “red zone,” indicating high rates of drug usage and crime.
Assistant Commissioner Administration/Strategic Management Akuila Namakadre has urged students in the area to be smart, strong, and educated to survive. He made the comments while speaking at the St John Bosco Primary School’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT) commemoration on Friday.
“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 said.
In 2018, Police Chief of Operations ACP Rusiate Tudravu had warned about methamphetamine becoming Fiji’s biggest security issue if not controlled. That year, ACP Tudravu said the cheap, easy-to-make, and highly addictive drug was being produced in the country through many “dirty transactions.”
Now, important questions arise. Are we appropriately dealing with the hard drug issue? Do we truly know the extent of the spread of meth and its usage?
This urgent matter requires engagement from all stakeholders, including the community, educators, and policymakers. It demands the active participation of all sectors of society to support the police in its campaign to fight hard drugs.