Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga says while he understands the reason certain chiefs are opting to bar people involved in drug related activities he says that no one has the legal power to evict people from their villages.
Turaga was responding to questions about a recent comment by a paramount chief who said that anyone involved in the trade or cultivation of illicit drugs will be expelled from the province.
The Justice Minister says evicting people has been a practice chiefs have used to safeguard their province.
“I believe the purpose of the comments is to inform people about the existence of a paramount chief and to denounce the drug trade and any form of involvement that may affect the people in that province.”
However, Turaga says that the method violates the law and is subject to challenge.
“However, as I have stated, there is strictly no legal authority to evict individuals, and they have legal recourse.”
Drug Free World Fiji founder Kalesi Volatabu believes that dialogue within the vanua is the most effective solution.
“I would really love to sit down with the mataqali or the vanua. How about we bring young people together, we bring in the villagers, and we have a talanoa? Talk about what strategy we can put in place, do not involve police right away, let’s try and fix it first within the laws of the villages because we can do that, we have done it over the years, why can’t we do that.”
The Justice Minister acknowledges that the village bylaws could significantly contribute to resolving the issue.
He says the bylaws are still being discussed with the Great Council of Chiefs, adding that once implemented, they will need to align with citizens’ rights under the Bill of Rights.
