The Covid crisis must not undermine peace or security and weaken the resolve to curb domestic violence at home
In the past two days in public speeches he made in Guadalcanal the Prime Minister spoke specifically about the preservation of the peace and security for all citizens.
I am particularly pleased by the assurances from the Prime Minister because reading reports from Fiji, published by Radio New Zealand today, Thursday, there are allegations of concerns over “democracy” there with the unprecedented health and economic crisis, the country’s facing.
Often such kind of reports are distorted and I am disinclined to copy the report as released by Radio New Zealand.
One aspect of the RNZ commentary, however, I will share in the hope a similar situation does not develop in the Solomon Islands.
The head of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, Shamima Ali, said while there was tension among the community over the worsening pandemic, job losses and economic hardship, it was unclear whether the tension could be linked to any anti-government sentiment.
Ms. Shamima Ali said her Centre was seeing increasing cases of domestic violence, a sign that the strain on Fiji's social fabric is becoming untenable.
I do believe, from previous newspaper reports I read that there has been an increase in domestic violence incidents at home since the start of the coronavirus pandemic but I very much hope the incidences can be dealt with by the appropriate social agencies, including the family support centre, the UNDP and even the personnel of the RSIPF assigned to community and child protection assignments.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
