Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, 5 December 2024 – If you believe current statistics; in a room full of friends or colleagues it is now highly likely that at least one person there has tried drugs—whether out of curiosity, for fun, or in a more serious context.
It’s a sobering thought, but this is becoming an increasingly real scenario for us here in Fiji.
The drug epidemic in our country is no longer a whisper in the background; or bubbling quietly below the surface as it has no doubt been doing so for many years.
The fact that we have admitted we have a problem as a nation is the first step in giving this our urgent attention.
Recent reports reveal that millions of dollars worth of drugs are flooding our streets, reaching schools, workplaces, and communities.
While our police force is working tirelessly to tighten the noose on drug dealers and supply networks, this considerable challenge isn’t just about enforcement alone.
It is also about prevention, education, and ensuring that everyone clearly understands how this scourge has the potential to derail our national efforts to continue developing our island economy.
Educating our population through community outreaches, religious platforms, workplace awareness and introducing the information into schools will significantly improve efforts to recognise what it is, how to push back or report its practice and create a much wider appreciation of the negative impacts drugs have on our people and ultimately, our nation.
Understanding this and acting on the need to step up our own awareness in tourism as the industry that can often be used as a gateway for drug importation and solicitation, while being cognizant of the fact that tourism directly and indirectly supports thousands of jobs; we are also doing what we can to address this.
As we welcome visitors from all corners of the globe, we must also ensure that the industry reflects the best of what Fiji can offer to visitors: safety and security, delivering on our promises for a happy holiday in the beautiful environments that we endeavour to sustain in their pristine conditions.
With more than 3,500 cases of substance abuse reported in schools last year—up from 2,800 in 2022 and 2,400 in 2021—it’s clear that this issue is spiralling.
And while the Ministry of Education is exploring the introduction of drug testing kits in schools, we must also consider how this challenge affects adults working in critical sectors, including tourism.
For the thousands of workers in our hotels, resorts, and tourism operations, the stakes are high.
These employees are the face of Fiji to the world.
With guest experiences often hinging on the staff they interact with, and there is no room for error when handling safety-sensitive roles or delivering memorable service.
Ensuring a drug-free workplace in tourism isn’t just about compliance; it’s about protecting our reputation, our visitors, and ultimately, our nation’s economy.
Other sectors are already taking bold steps to address this crisis.
The Fiji Police Force is finalising a mandatory drug policy requiring officers to undergo regular drug tests.
This initiative, being developed in consultation with the Solicitor General’s Office aims to lead by example and reshape public perceptions about police involvement in drug related activities.
If our police officers who serve as the front line of law enforcement are embracing this change, we are also considering that as an industry that faces the world daily, perhaps we too should be looking at mandatory drug testing ourselves and have thus begun the process of looking into the legal aspects of what this might entail.
Such policies would need to align with existing laws such as the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2004 which outlines severe penalties for those found in possession of drugs, including fines up to $1 million or life imprisonment, and others like the OHS Policy that supports safety at work.
We understand that introducing drug testing in the tourism industry is not without its challenges and that these would include concerns around privacy, individual consent, and the stigma around being caught, and as such must be addressed sensitively.
Some employers have already introduced policies that are part of their branding requirements that demand that employees agree that drug testing is a part of their employment agreement. Others have made this part of individual contracts, staff recruitment policies and even contract inclusions.
Ideally, employee agreements to be tested form the key basis of making drug testing policies applicable, while the ad hoc use of drug sniffer dogs on business premises handled with the required sensitivity, has often been a handy deterrent.
The support from the Tourism Police and the Police Dogs Unit in helping tourism operators address sporadic episodes of drug carriage or sales has been deeply appreciated.
Ultimately, employers need to strike the delicate balance called for in supporting their staff to be aware of the dangers of drug use or sales, protecting them and their guests, whilst also ensuring accountability where demanded.
But we agree that ultimately, stronger legislative adjustments are required to support the legality of mandatory testing and how we manage the impacts of drug usage on our people in terms of rehabilitation support.
This is where collaboration becomes critical with interested industries like tourism (we have no doubt there are other industries that would also be interested), government bodies and law enforcement must come together to design applicable policies.
Drug policies must be pragmatic and focused on real-world effectiveness, especially in the Pacific context. They should prioritize harm reduction, public health, and evidence-based strategies over punitive measures.
By addressing the root causes of drug abuse and providing support and treatment for individuals, rather than solely relying on criminalization; we can create a more compassionate and effective approach to drug policy.
By taking the lead in this fight, the tourism sector can set an example for other industries, just as we’ve shown with our innovation, adaptation and resilience in the face of climate challenges, the pandemic, and evolving guest expectations, we can also be pioneers in creating safe, drug-free work environments.
This is a national challenge that requires us to collaborate on the critical steps we must take to overcome this scourge that if left unchecked, will impact productivity, safety, absenteeism, morale and eventually costs.
The costs of all these elements, as well as the rehabilitation aspects of drug use.
The other less appreciated or understood impacts of drug use in our communities or workplaces include higher incidences of crime, the increased demand on healthcare services due to drug-related issues, resulting changes in family dynamics through domestic violence and child neglect, and a greater reliance on already strained social service systems.
Addressing drug use through comprehensive policies, educational intervention, policy reform, support programs or industry leadership can help mitigate these impacts.
The tourism industry is at the heart of Fiji’s recovery and continued economic growth and keeping it drug-free should be in everyone’s interest, while ensuring the industry is consulted widely for the synergies and practicality it would bring to these discussions.
Vinaka vakalevu to all who are already playing their part in this complicated and difficult fight.
We can, and must, take it even further to make a collective and more transformative stand together.
Fantasha Lockington – CEO, FHTA (Published in the Fiji Times on 5 December 2024)
Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association
The Voice of the Industry
