Photo: Aleksandr Shyripa
A senior police officer in Fiji says there needs to be better coordination between the government, churches and the vanua (land, indigenous people and customs) to address the country's drug crisis.
The Fiji Times reported narcotics division awareness officer, Inspector Usaia Donu, telling youths at a Christian conference in Lautoka the three institutions are running drug awareness programs in silos.
Donu said his observation comes from over a decade of involvement in public awareness campaigns with ministers.
"What I have seen is government is running on its own line, the church is also running in its own line and so is the vanua," he said.
"The point where they have to meet, no one is looking at that."
He said he got a call from the Tui Vitogo (chief) requesting "that we take our campaign to the vanua".
"So we will be working together to bring all of our stakeholders from the church, the vanua and government to take our message to our villages.
"We are in discussion with the talatala qase to take this campaign to our villages.
"This is one way we can address Fiji's drug problem."
Donu also spoke to the youth about the dangers of drugs.
"When you use marijuana, it takes you to a certain high as it affects a part of your brain that controls your emotions and your happiness. When you reach that high you don't want to come back down.
"But when you take the white powder [methamphetamine] it takes you to another level. You have that 'high' but it comes with a 'rush'.
"When you have that 'rush' you want to stay there all the time. You don't want to come back down. All you care about is staying there.
"So you forget about everything else."
Donu called on the youths to strengthen their faith in God to keep them away from the dark side of society.
Illicit drug use is increasing in the Pacific with children as young as 10 becoming addicted.
A recent report into HIV in Fiji quoted interviewees saying young children were involved in the selling of drugs, and doctors and nurses were among those taking the substances.
"Right now [crystal methamphetamine] is an easy thing. It's like buying sugar at a canteen near your place," said a 31-year-old transgender woman.
"And everybody is using it now from even underage children, teenager, businessmen, party lovers, night crawlers, sex workers, drivers."
