Commander Navy, Captain Humphrey Tawake [left] with Acting Minister for Defense Jone Usamate [Source: Fijian Government]

The increase in sea transportation services is benefiting Fijians on one hand but on the other, it is being exploited and used for crime and the illegal drug trade.

Speaking at a Heads of Maritime Forces workshop today, Acting Minister for Defense Jone Usamate says maritime security is now a major concern for Pacific Island countries.

“It has developed or shifted maritime security perspectives to face noon-military threats such as jurisdictional disputes, transnational organized crimes which include traffic in small arms, illegal movement of people and drugs. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and piracy.”

Commander Navy, Captain Humphrey Tawake says the maritime environment continues to evolve.

“We can work smart around it together with our stakeholders and just disrupting those lines of communication that they have is critical for us to have that deterrence”.

Minister Usamate says climate change is another security threat faced by maritime security forces.

In the Pacific, climate change will continue to threaten coastlines, encroach further on freshwater supplies and arable land, and slowly submerge small low-lying islands, cause more frequent and more devastating tropical storms.

The forum is a perfect platform for operational level leaders to influence and implement the necessary machinery required for a safer and secure region.