Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: PRANEETA PRAKASH]
Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalarua says turning away from the drug crisis, or continuing to treat it as someone else’s responsibility, is now costing lives.
Naivalarua is calling for stronger collaboration between the government and the church to confront the growing impact of drugs on families, communities, and the future of Fiji’s youth.
He says silence, denial, and delay have allowed the problem to spread deeper into communities.
The Minister says Fiji’s fight against drugs has reached a critical turning point.
Naivalarua adds that arrests and seizures cannot restore broken families or rebuild lives already damaged by addiction.
“Government cannot do this without the church, and the church cannot do this by standing apart from the reality on the ground. Once again, the church cannot do this by standing apart from the reality on the ground. This gathering is not about control. It is about collaboration.”
Naivalarua is urging church leaders to remain engaged with the realities facing communities, particularly young people affected by addiction and related social challenges.
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