paradise

Editorial

Crime in paradise

WHEN people picture the South Pacific, it is generally an image of palm trees swaying in the breeze, gentle, friendly people and a certain amount of freedom.

To a certain extent, this is certain ly the case, but of late, in Fiji, as well as some other South Pacific coun

tries, this peace has been shattered. Crime has become an increasing problem and authorities have seemed powerless to tackle it. In Fiji, banks, supermarkets, ser vice stations, payrolls, and armoured vehicles have been victims of a highly organised crime spree.

No-one denies the intensity of the problem. Even Fiji’s finance minister, prime minister and other high-level offi cials have admitted to the problem.

Lawlessness shatters investor confidence and creates instability within island com munities, and it is for this reason that the growing security problem has to be tack led now. When people do not feel safe to

walk the streets or conduct their daily business, the mood quickly turns sour.

Various organisations have called for stiffer penalties as a deterrent - but this is hard to enforce and judges have tended not to give the highest penalty when lay ing sentences.

The latest option to tackle crime has been to recruit soldiers into the police force to make up for the lack in manpow er. However, this has led to dissatisfac tion within the police force - especially at middle-management level. There have been complaints that current members of the force are overlooked for promotions and vacancies in favour of soldiers. It is

only time before law-abiding citizens decide that enough is enough and take the law into their own hands.

This should concern lawyers, judges, politicians and every other person associated with upholding law in Fiji.

Some observers say that Fiji looks much like Papua New Guinea used to

many years ago - before the rascals start ed dominating Port Moresby. If that’s the case, then it would be wise for Fijian offi cials to seriously contemplate if they wish to see Fiji’s security situation in the same status as that of Port Moresby in a few years. Especially considering the fact that tourism has now become Fiji’s biggest foreign exchange earner. Crime is bad for business. It is bad for tourism. And it could also be bad for re-election.

This factor, most of all, should be

impetus enough for Fiji’s politicians to

take immediate action to stunt, if not wipe out, the country’s escalating securi ty problem. ■