Shania Shayal Prasad 
The government has stepped up its fight against human trafficking and people smuggling with a series of decisive measures aimed at strengthening border security and enhancing law enforcement capabilities.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says cabinet has endorsed two major initiatives, a $500,000 allocation to bolster response to trafficking in persons, and the introduction of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems to modernise and secure the nation’s borders.
He adds since assuming office, they have made combating human trafficking a top priority.
Rabuka says measures already implemented include improved victim identification processes, a centralised case management system, and updates to the National Action Plan on Anti-Trafficking to guide whole-of-government efforts.
He stresses that an inter-ministerial taskforce, led by the Office of the Prime Minister and including the Ministries of Justice, Policing, Immigration, and Finance, continues to provide strategic direction and oversight.
Rabuka states that recent reforms to the Immigration Act 2003 and the repeal of outdated legislation ensure a single, secure border gate, while also enabling trafficking-related offences to be prosecuted more efficiently.
He says joint investigations by Immigration, Customs, and Police into trafficking-related cases are now nearing completion.
The Prime Minister says improving prosecution and conviction rates remains a key focus, reflecting the Government’s zero-tolerance stance on human trafficking.
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