Sainiani Boila 
[file/photo]
The Government is being urged to take stronger action to prevent street children from eventually entering the corrections system.
The issue was raised in Parliament following discussions on the high proportion of iTaukei in the prison population, with Opposition MP Premila Kumar calling for a dedicated agency to oversee children at risk.
Kumar warns that without early intervention, these children could end up in prison.
“And every effort has to be made by everyone to look after these children so that they are not only harassing the public, but they do not end up in prison. Because if we don’t do anything, they’ll end up in prison.”
iTaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu says authorities have previously returned children to their families and taken them to rehabilitation centres, but many return to the streets.
“This issue is a whole-of-government and whole-of-community issue. We have been working with the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection. We have been working with the Ministry of Housing in regard to the issues regarding families who are here, especially in urban.”
The discussion also highlighted the role of traditional leadership and village discipline in preventing crime.
The Government says strengthening traditional leadership, education, job opportunities, community policing, and rehabilitation are central to its strategy to reduce crime.
