Nasekula Village in Labasa

Minister for Women and Children, Lynda Tabuya, has highlighted the need to strengthen neighborhood watch programs.

The Minister was responding to a recent incident where a group of men allegedly broke into a home in Naseakula Village in Labasa and threatened a family.

It is alleged that the men demanded money from the woman who was home with her children, threatening to burn down the house if she did not comply.

Tabuya condemned the crime and urged immediate action to protect the vulnerable.

“You know, no one likes busybodies, but as neighbors, we need to look out for each other. For the homes that are close by, especially if you know that women and children are on their own, we ask neighbors to look out for each other.”

Tabuya called on the public to remain cautious and alert.

“Crimes like this don’t just occur randomly. There would have been some monitoring by those perpetrators to see who was at home. So it’s not random.”

She also stressed that the safety and security of women and children require collective efforts from authorities and all Fijians.