Editorial comment – Methamphetamine corridor

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Methamphetamine in powdered form. Picture: Curtis Wildfong

AT one stage Nakasi was sort of laid back.

It had a touch of rural calmness about it.

People lived their lives pretty much in relative peace and quiet.

It was a developing area along the busy Suva-Nausori corridor.

It had to grow.

That much was a foregone conclusion over the decades.

The ’empty’ spaces would be lapped up by the advent of economic development.

Growth meant expansion in housing.

It meant a rise in the population.

That consequently meant a rise in commuters daily.

That would have to culminate in heavy traffic.

In such a densely populated section of this busy corridor, the setting is just about right for an economic explosion of sorts.

It’s the numbers that matter.

Then there is the bit about human traffic and economic reality.

The revelation that Nakasi contributed to 19 per cent of the overall crime rate in the Eastern Division last year would be a concern.

That’s according to Minister for Defence and National Security Inia Seruiratu.

Officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Nakasi Police Station on Friday, Mr Seruiratu said the public needed to maintain its confidence in the Nakasi Police Station’s ability to keep communities and businesses within Nakasi safe.

“The construction of the new Nakasi Police Station should ensure the confidence of the Nakasi community,” he said.

He said 71 cases of burglaries, 22 cases of aggravated robberies and 81 cases of theft were recorded in the Nakasi area last year.

“The local community in Nakasi and possible investors need to know, and see, their police officers implementing strategies to ensure that the cases like the 15 sexual offence cases recorded last year are not repeated this year.”

The new project will cost $35million and will also include the construction of police barracks.

Perhaps what will concern people more is the ‘methamphetamine corridor’ tag cast on this portion of the Suva-Nausori corridor.

It is encouraging to note that our police force is fighting to remove this tag.

Mr Seruiratu said he knew that the Commissioner of Police, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho, had aligned the Fiji Police Force’s focus accordingly in ridding our society of all forms of illicit drugs.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has made no bones about his strong stand against drugs.

But for any campaign by the police to be successful will need the support of the people.

Let’s get behind the force.

Let’s be part of the catalyst for change.

Let’s make a difference for our children, our communities and for the future of our nation.

We should say no to drugs.

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