SUVA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Minister for Women and Children Lynda Tabuya is advocating for the death penalty for drug traffickers caught with large volumes of drugs to quickly solve the escalating problem in Fiji.
Tabuya expressed concerns over the easy availability of drugs on the streets, which both adults and children are consuming, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday.
"We need to have deterrence and to consider the death penalty to protect our people who are not aware of the harmful effects of drugs, who are using this as a means of earning quick money," she said.
Such stringent measures will deter drug traffickers and drug lords from engaging in illegal activities within the island nation, the minister added.
She emphasized that implementing harsher penalties, including the death penalty, could reduce the drug trade and its harmful effects on Fijian society.
Fiji abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1979 and for all crimes in 2015 and the last execution occurred in 1964.
The death penalty is unlawful under the 2013 constitution.
However, Tabuya said there is an urgent need to enforce stronger laws to protect Fiji's borders and people, as the country continues to serve as a transit point for other markets. ■
