Communications Minister Manoa Kamikamica has taken a strong stance against cyberbullying following the death of a local social media influencer.

He is believed to be a victim of cyberbullying.

Emphasizing the imperative of showing respect to all individuals online, Kamikamica highlighted deficiencies in current laws governing online safety.

He acknowledged that existing regulations overseeing the Online Safety Commission are inadequate in addressing the escalating threat of cyberbullying effectively.

“There is absolutely no tolerance for cyberbullying in Fiji and my plea everyone is let us treat everyone with respect. I know the laws are weak at the moment but going forward, rest assured that the government will certainly be looking at this closely.”

Communications Minister Manoa Kamikamica

In response, Kamikamica revealed plans for a national task force aimed at strengthening legislative measures and enhancing protection against harmful online behavior, particularly cyberbullying.

Expressing condolences to the influencer’s family, Kamikamica stressed the urgency of intensifying efforts to safeguard online users from similar tragedies.

Kamikamica detailed ongoing initiatives to evaluate and strengthen Fiji’s legal framework pertaining to cyberbullying and other online offenses.

He reassured the public of the government’s proactive stance on addressing these challenges, pledging imminent actions to fortify online safety measures.

Assistant Minister Sashi Kiran expressed sadness over the tragic death of the social influencer.

She highlighted how feeling isolated and emotional pain can lead people to take drastic actions.

“In a country where we all pride ourselves in our spirituality, we do very poorly in terms of loving someone who may not be like us so I think it’s important for people to rethink.”

Kiran also mentioned that in Fiji, people often quickly judge and criticize others without thinking.

The Assistant Minister states that this incident should remind everyone to be careful and thoughtful before posting anything online.