03/29/2023
A parliamentary committee in Fiji has called for positive intervention measures to tackle the prevalence of crimes against women and children, as well as su***de in the country.
Presenting the findings of its scrutiny of the Fiji Police Annual Report for the period August 2018 to July 2019, Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence chairperson Viliame Naupoto highlighted the high incidence of violence against women and children as one of seven key issues.
The committee also noted that few women held senior positions in the police force, and recommended that career path planning be incorporated for all officers upon graduation. The committee suggested that clear career paths and support for the Womenโs Policing Network could help the force attract the best talent in Fiji.
In addition, the committee recommended the use of the latest satellite, geo-spatial, drone, and communication technologies to address congestion on Fijiโs roads.
It also noted that the โcases of seven (7) yearsโ absenceโ clause made it difficult for relatives to process or procure legal claims or ownership to death and insurance benefits, and suggested changes to the law to address this.
โTherefore there are merits to recommending for the changes to the law, where it be amended to the existing framework (Inquest Act 1967) or creating a new piece of legislation as in the case of the UK, where they have introduced the Presumption of Death Act.โ
The committee praised the ongoing Five (5) Year Reform and Restructure Project of the Fiji Police Force and recommended an evaluation of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) aligned to the NDP Twenty Year Development Plan 2017-2036 goals of the government.
The committee also noted the absence of gender-disaggregated data.