Waqa: It’s going to get tougher
THE battle against economic crime is everyone’s battle, and law enforcement needs officers who are devoted to their agencies, serve with honesty, are uncorrupted, and answer only to the law.
Assistant Commissioner of Police for Crime Mesake Waqa made the following remarks while opening the Economic Crime Investigation training at Holiday Inn in Suva yesterday.
More than 20 participants from eight countries from around the Pacific were part of the training yesterday.
“This training could not have come at a better time than now when we just set the new tone in the way we conduct our affairs,” Mr Waqa said.
“Economic crimes erode the pillars of accountability, transparency and integrity that hold institutions together and strikes the fundamental rights that define our very humanity, including our right to justice, equal opportunities, and speaking truth to power.
“Crime cannot stop, it continuously evolves with new trends through this new era of sophisticated technologies and it’s going to get tougher and tougher for us.
“With this paradigm shift in our criminal environment, we must change with our mindset, that is why you are here today.”
Mr Waqa said fighting economic crime was not easy at all levels, it was technically complicated and required capacities, financial resources, and stakeholder engagement.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) detective inspector Paul Everingham said the focus of the training was to reduce the risk of the Pacific nations from serious organised crime groups.
He said this also included money laundering groups and other ways that economic crime can be facilitated throughout the region.
The training was facilitated by the AFP’s law enforcement program for officers aimed towards improving and upgrading of operations, administration, and investigative capabilities to be on par to this modern-day era of policing, with the use of science and technology, together with the capacity building.