Resources Needed to Fight Drugs – FBC News

Speaker of Parliament and President-elect Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu suggests that vulnerable populations be given adequate resources to deter them from resorting to trafficking and use of illegal drugs.

Ratu Naiqama made the comment during the Speaker’s Debate where he also called for a coordinated and urgent response to combat the increase in drug trafficking and abuse, a challenge that affects not only urban areas but also rural villages.

During the debate, the Chairperson pointed out that they cannot be complacent and must take action now to protect communities from the effects of drugs.

“I had stated that the drug problem could escalate into violence and make our communities unsafe. Hard drugs like meth or methamphetamine are not limited to urban areas. They are there in the countryside of Vanua Levu, in my village. There they have it.”

Ratu Naiqama emphasizes that financing alone will not solve the crisis as there is a need for community involvement to tackle drug problems fueled by economic hardships such as unemployment and poverty.

“Given high unemployment and poverty, our vulnerable populations are easily influenced and lured into drug use and lucrative human trafficking. This makes the issue even more oppressive. We must provide support and alternatives to those at risk, and ensure we have the opportunity to steer them away from the path of the drugs that will steer them away.”

He says the drug problem is a challenge that we must tackle with both hands.