Working together

IT’S good to note that Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu does not want a “Band-Aid solution” to the Nabua crisis. He has also promised to take instigators to task.

His comments come in the wake of the latest brawl involving youths from Nabua this week.

He has instructed his operations team to find a permanent fix after two violent and bloody brawls between Mead Rd Housing and Sukanaivalu Rd youths this month.

It’s the way to go.

Understandably there will be concern that emotions were high, to the extent that injuries were sustained during the brawls.

As emotions went into over-drive, there was chaos, and scenes of violence.

At a time when the message of goodwill, forgiveness, and good over evil should have been driven through, and embraced, violence spilled onto the streets of the Suva suburb.

In the face of all that has happened though, we are encouraged by Mr Tudravu’s comments, and those coming from the police chief operations officer ACP Abdul Khan.

In fact there has to be a long term solution.

In saying that, we are continuing to highlight the need to get thugs off our streets.

Surely we all want an amicable solution. Surely we all want this issue, and all underlying feelings and hatred resolved.

There can be no other way.

A concerted effort must be made to get to the bottom of this, delve into reasons, resolve differences, discuss solutions to address this turn of events.

We are positively buoyed by the fact that Mr Tudravu and his officers are working to get some semblance of order back into the lives of the people of Nabua.

It is good to know the community policing team is on the ground building evidence to ensure perpetrators are taken to task.

Mr Tudravu said they were only targeting those who initiated the brawl.

“We are bringing in people that, according to the investigation information we have received, were instigators.

“We don’t arrest all youths, we just target those who initiated this.”

Police, he said, were working closely with relevant stakeholders. In the greater scheme of things, the police will need the support of the public to be effective. They can’t do this on their own.

So let’s unite behind the force. Let’s play our part in fighting crime. As parents, guardians, adults, and influencers, let’s lead by example.

We look forward with great anticipation to see constructive action taken to bring back peace, and order, to the residents of Nabua.