Businessman offers to build Community Post at Kashmir
Qiliho: Such initiative from the community is encouraging.
Abusinessman in Lautoka has offered to build a Community Police Post at Kashmir, Lautoka. The offer comes after Sanjay Lal’s shop was the centre of attraction during an alleged carjacking incident two weeks ago. His CCTV cameras had captured the incident, with at least eight suspects involved, recorded on camera. Mr Lal’s intentions has been welcomed by the Police Commissioner, Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho. “The Fiji Police Force has always emphasised the need for partnerships with members of the community or groups that can help us fight crime,” he said. “This is why we have always been advocating the Duavata Policing initiative because by working together we will have more eyes on the ground, which will send out a strong message to those wanting to commit crimes that we are watching. “We always have an open door policy with regards to communities that want to work with us in setting up such partnership.” Mr Lal, the managing director of Hari Lal Investments, is willing to pay for the construction of the Community post and help with the monthly water and electricity bills. The area Mr Lal is eyeing is next to his shop on Housing Authority land. Mr Lal said his shop had already been robbed four times, but with the new CCTV cameras installed, he said it was now safer for customers to visit the shop. “I mean there are other shops where these men could still be on the run, but because of the CCTV cameras, five have been caught,” Mr Lal said. The Minister for Local Government, Praveen Kumar, has also indicated that the land being sought after would have to be checked first to see what was its status. “However if it can be used for the proposal then it would be done because this would be something good for the community,” Mr Kumar said. Mr Lal said the men allegedly involved in the carjacking incident last week had come from the hillside, behind his shop. “I was somewhere and got a call from home that they were looking into my room from the footpath,” he alleged. “A Police vehicle came and I think that spoilt any plans they had of entering my shop and house. It just so happens that that vehicle was there and they turned on the driver.”