SUVA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Fijian Police are working to counter the growing crime rate in the island nation, local media Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) reported on Wednesday.
Fiji's Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho confirmed that statistics have indicated the increasing rate of crimes in various communities.
Due to serious concerns about the growing number of attacks and robberies, Qiliho said they are constantly reorganizing teams to counter these crimes.
People living in these areas continue to live in fear but have come together to form a community group to assist authorities tackle this growing concern.
Meanwhile, the Fijian government intends to deal with it by equipping the police force with better facilities.
Fiji's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Inia Seruiratu said on Wednesday that failure is not an option when it comes to fighting crime on the island nation.
Speaking at the ground‑breaking ceremony for the new 29.8-million-Fijian dollar (about 13.9 million U.S. dollars) Lautoka Police Station, Seruiratu said that the attitude of those who serve the community must also change.
Suva and Lautoka, Fiji's second-largest city, will have police stations that will be elevated to Metropolitan Stations due to its high economic activities which can draw hundreds of thousands of people to their areas.
Seruiratu said that Lautoka being an important driver of Fiji's economic growth requires Fiji's police force to respond and provide services that will build a better and safer Lautoka.
The minister said that for years, the Fiji police force had to work with limited resources and manpower. The ground‑breaking ceremony of a new Police Station in Lautoka is a testament of the government's commitment in trying to make Fiji a safer place to live in.
