Exile illicit drugs cultivators: North Chiefs
The chiefs of Dogotuki in Macuata Province are proposing a law to exile individuals allegedly involved in cultivating illicit drugs.
The proposal comes after an increase in reports of people within the district earning through cultivating Marijuana.
Ratu Peni Cavuilagi, representative of the chiefly family of Tui Vuna, shared the proposal at a talanoa session in Nabubu Village, Namuka district.
According to Ratu Peni, Vola Ni Kawa Bula (VKB) members would be exiled for six years while nonVKB members would be exiled permanently.
The proposal was discussed in a meeting with the respective household, clan, and tribe leaders as part of an effort to curb the illegal drug trade.
Ratu Peni, highlighted the vanua and district leaders’ commitment to working with the police to arrest individuals and seize marijuana plants.
He shared a shocking statistic about a farmer allegedly harvesting 4590 plants from his farm. To further enhance police monitoring of this illegal trade, Ratu Peni requested the government to consider setting up a second police post in the district.
“We only have one police post at Wainikoro, so there is a need for another post,” he said.
Ratu Peni warned that failure to address this issue soon could have detrimental effects on the young generation.
He stressed the need to provide education and promote crime-free ways of earning a living to change the mindset of youths.
Ratu Peni firmly condemned any wrong engagements and emphasied that; “this illegal cultivation must stop and we are doing everything in our capacity to eradicate this”.
A letter proposing the law was submitted to government officials and the Commissioner Northern’s office.
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, responded that the proposed village bylaw must first be codified. He instructed Ratu Peni to seek clarification from the Macuata Provincial Administrator’s Office on how the law could be implemented. “This law proposal has to reported to District Officer and taken up to Government to be acknowledged,” he said.