Kelera Ditaiki 
Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong. [Photo: FILE]
Church leaders and government stakeholders took part in a two-day workshop to strengthen responses to drug abuse and addiction.
The workshop is organised by the Fiji Council of Churches in partnership with the Ministry of Policing and the Pacific Conference of Churches.
The workshop uses a widely recognised Christian-based approach known as the pastoral circle, a method designed to help faith groups respond effectively to social issues.
Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong, says the approach includes four key components.
These are understanding the reality of drug abuse in communities, examining its root causes, reflecting through faith teachings, and developing clear action plans.
“One is just to see the reality as it really is and to be able to name what is happening, how people are feeling about the problem. Next, we want to go underneath what we see to discuss the root causes of the problem. That is important because if we don’t touch the root cause, then our response will not be effective.”
Archbishop Loy Chong says the workshop aims to equip church leaders with a shared understanding of the drug crisis and practical tools to address addiction through both faith and science.
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