Police Commissioner Bernadus Groenewald
Suva
There are mixed views on crime rates in the country.
Nevertheless, all parties have strategies in place on ways to go about curbing crime in the country. Below is an overview of who’s going to do what.
Nevertheless, all parties have strategies in place on ways to go about curbing crime in the country. Below is an overview of who’s going to do what.
Fiji Labour Party
Fully equip the Police force with the requisite equipment and professional and technical skills to effectively combat all kinds of crime.
n In regards to the military, Labour believes that the armed forces must remain under the control of the government exercised through cabinet and the minister responsible and their deployment either in Fiji or abroad to receive the approval of Parliament
n For judiciary, a code of conduct would be considered for holders of all high public offices based on the Bangalore principles and judges and magistrates would be required to deliver their rulings within six months of the conclusion of hearing.
Fully equip the Police force with the requisite equipment and professional and technical skills to effectively combat all kinds of crime.
n In regards to the military, Labour believes that the armed forces must remain under the control of the government exercised through cabinet and the minister responsible and their deployment either in Fiji or abroad to receive the approval of Parliament
n For judiciary, a code of conduct would be considered for holders of all high public offices based on the Bangalore principles and judges and magistrates would be required to deliver their rulings within six months of the conclusion of hearing.
Peoples Democratic Party
The party’s manifesto claimed it was no secret that in the past eight years, the levels of crime and corruption had risen to an all time high. The party would be reviewing the Police force, its effectiveness and provide vigorous training.
n It would increase the capacity to combat high crime, serious and organised crimes and sophisticated white collar crimes; and
n Implement regular upskilling of members of the Police force;
n Provide better training for our Criminal Investigation Department and forensics personnel to improve their levels of crime detection.
The party would also be working with corrections for greater rehabilitation and work with all stakeholders to reduce the number of repeat offending.
The party’s manifesto claimed it was no secret that in the past eight years, the levels of crime and corruption had risen to an all time high. The party would be reviewing the Police force, its effectiveness and provide vigorous training.
n It would increase the capacity to combat high crime, serious and organised crimes and sophisticated white collar crimes; and
n Implement regular upskilling of members of the Police force;
n Provide better training for our Criminal Investigation Department and forensics personnel to improve their levels of crime detection.
The party would also be working with corrections for greater rehabilitation and work with all stakeholders to reduce the number of repeat offending.
National Federation Party
The National Federation Party under law and order would adequately resource and empower the Police Force to respond effectively to reported cases, including the provision of efficient transport and equipment.
NFP would modernise the Police Force by equipping it with latest technology, including computerised reporting systems. NFP would initiate the networking of Police stations across the country for intelligence sharing and crime investigation.
It would make the investigation process swift, transparent, fair and decisive.
The National Federation Party under law and order would adequately resource and empower the Police Force to respond effectively to reported cases, including the provision of efficient transport and equipment.
NFP would modernise the Police Force by equipping it with latest technology, including computerised reporting systems. NFP would initiate the networking of Police stations across the country for intelligence sharing and crime investigation.
It would make the investigation process swift, transparent, fair and decisive.
Fiji United Freedom Party
“We propose for the city/town councils to allocate a certain amount for each community (eg. community or area of 100 families) to set up neighbourhood watch programmes or community policing programmes that are in conjunction with Police,” party president Jagath Karunaratne said.
Secondly, the party proposes that the military forces be amalgamated to a certain extent with the Police force to share policing and administration duties where possible.
“This can also be achieved by having a special women platoon that can be utilised in the administration arm of the army and Police and also focus mainly on welfare and security of people.
“While the military is properly trained for peacekeeping duties locally or overseas they can also be utilised in community policing activities, welfare projects and any other community projects such as education on commercial farming, small medium businesses where special training and education is provided to the military.”
“We propose for the city/town councils to allocate a certain amount for each community (eg. community or area of 100 families) to set up neighbourhood watch programmes or community policing programmes that are in conjunction with Police,” party president Jagath Karunaratne said.
Secondly, the party proposes that the military forces be amalgamated to a certain extent with the Police force to share policing and administration duties where possible.
“This can also be achieved by having a special women platoon that can be utilised in the administration arm of the army and Police and also focus mainly on welfare and security of people.
“While the military is properly trained for peacekeeping duties locally or overseas they can also be utilised in community policing activities, welfare projects and any other community projects such as education on commercial farming, small medium businesses where special training and education is provided to the military.”
SODELPA
Party leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said they would like to believe that the Police were correct and the crime rates had dropped however they disagreed.
“One of which is the continued fear and distrust that people have in the law. There have been many cases that have been reported to the Police and yet some of these cases have not been resolved,” she said.
A SODELPA government would address the issue of crime from many perspectives. First is to ensure a clean and neat Police outfit that is well-trained, well-equiped and well-looked after.
“This will inspire confidence and an attitude of willingness to go the extra mile from our officers,” Ro Teimumu said.
“At the same time, we will address the underlying social issues that lead to crime like unemployment and high cost of living amongst many others, which we believe usually go hand-in-hand with crime if not addressed.
The party expects in the first 100 days of their being in government, they would be able to address the major issues which range from operations, manpower, management, remuneration and people welfare and so we expect the effect of these to reflect immediately and gradually in the reduction in crime.
Party leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said they would like to believe that the Police were correct and the crime rates had dropped however they disagreed.
“One of which is the continued fear and distrust that people have in the law. There have been many cases that have been reported to the Police and yet some of these cases have not been resolved,” she said.
A SODELPA government would address the issue of crime from many perspectives. First is to ensure a clean and neat Police outfit that is well-trained, well-equiped and well-looked after.
“This will inspire confidence and an attitude of willingness to go the extra mile from our officers,” Ro Teimumu said.
“At the same time, we will address the underlying social issues that lead to crime like unemployment and high cost of living amongst many others, which we believe usually go hand-in-hand with crime if not addressed.
The party expects in the first 100 days of their being in government, they would be able to address the major issues which range from operations, manpower, management, remuneration and people welfare and so we expect the effect of these to reflect immediately and gradually in the reduction in crime.
FijiFirst
The best guarantee of safety is a Police force that is professional, well-equipped and trained, adequately compensated, and supported by science whereby the Police received an increased budget. The force received $111.7million with $1.4m provided for the purchase of forensic biology and DNA laboratory equipment, pathologist equipment and a drug analysis machine.
Prime Minister and FijiFirst leader Voreqe Bainimarama said this would help ensure that Police work was more effective; that fewer people were falsely accused; that wrongdoers were more quickly identified, and that cases were brought to trial with evidence that was more solid.
“We are also taking steps in this budget to increase the security of our prisons and to address the pressing issue of overcrowding. The people need to be assured that dangerous convicts will remain in prison once they are sentenced, and all prisons need to be equal to the task of not only of keeping the public safe, but of maintaining humane conditions and encouraging rehabilitation.”
These were some of the things done to uplift the law and order in the country this year.
Feedback: farisha.ahmed@fijisun.com.fj
The best guarantee of safety is a Police force that is professional, well-equipped and trained, adequately compensated, and supported by science whereby the Police received an increased budget. The force received $111.7million with $1.4m provided for the purchase of forensic biology and DNA laboratory equipment, pathologist equipment and a drug analysis machine.
Prime Minister and FijiFirst leader Voreqe Bainimarama said this would help ensure that Police work was more effective; that fewer people were falsely accused; that wrongdoers were more quickly identified, and that cases were brought to trial with evidence that was more solid.
“We are also taking steps in this budget to increase the security of our prisons and to address the pressing issue of overcrowding. The people need to be assured that dangerous convicts will remain in prison once they are sentenced, and all prisons need to be equal to the task of not only of keeping the public safe, but of maintaining humane conditions and encouraging rehabilitation.”
These were some of the things done to uplift the law and order in the country this year.
Feedback: farisha.ahmed@fijisun.com.fj
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5 comments:
I am really glad that our police force now has a professional and firm handed leader. Polcom Groenewald has all the credentials that will allow him to deal with the serious break down of law and order that the opposition parties and in particular the rabid unions in Fiji want to incite. In South Africa, where Mr Groenewald hails from opposition misfits face the full brunt of the law without any dilly dallying: Remember the Mariakana mine incident, when a mob of thousands of protesters tried to strike against the government. The police moved in killed 35 of them and that was the end of the story. We need more affirmative action like this in Fiji otherwise the opposition mob will disobey the law.
Agree. Commissioner 'yes man' has shown us his credentials by closing down the investigation into the horrendous human rights abuse atrocities carried out by junta thugs all videoed for the world to see. The dictator publicly stated the cowardly perpetrators would not be brought to justice - only fair since he gave himself immunity for his treasonous crimes in the sham regime constitution. so much for the rule of law in junta land?
Geez Anon @ 8.32pm above.....please go take some re-laxatives. You are so constipated!
Violence is the privilege of the state, otherwise we would have anarchy. The problem in Fiji is that the police and army are gutless weaklings not able to properly executing this privilege of the state. Look what is happening now in the fore field of the election which was meant to confirm the rule of the AG and the PM: Polling numbers are slipping, the opposition parties incite disaffection with the government on a daily basis, they spread lies and discontent, they even agitate the rural population to support re-instatement of the thugs of the GCC. And what does the police and army do? Standing by idly afraid to punish the perpetrators because they fear a bit of bad press in the Western media and some brow beating by Abbott and Key. It is high time that Fiji asserts itself and stamps out the corrupt and racists old parties. If this needs the application of force South African style, so be it!
Just checked the coup 4.5 blog: 366 comments on their latest posting and all against the government. Here at the competition blog supporting the government we have a handful of comments supporting Croz and Fiji First. It starts to scare me. In Africa, we have seen such situations in many countries: the government loses control, a vacuum opens up and so called freedom fighters move in and wreck entire countries. Come out and support Fiji First, support the RFMF as the only guarantor of a true and modern democracy.
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