27 Aug 2007

Calls to re-activate police posts in Fiji following crime

4:30 pm on 27 August 2007

Taxi drivers in Fiji are demanding that police posts are re-activated around the country and more patrols occur at night time following the third suspicious death of a driver on the weekend.

The president of the Fiji Taxi Union, Rishi Ram, has already called for the police to be re-armed following the death of the 25-year-old driver near Suva.

Police are yet to determine the cause but say a team is working on the incident now.

Mr Ram says violence is on the increase as people have no jobs and no money following the coup so target taxi drivers and business men as a result.

He says police posts, which were shut down, should be re-opened.

"Then the drivers could call in there for assistance and then we also need extra police patrols at night time. So, that if anything happens, these drivers could get help from them. At the moment these things are not there so unless, and until, the police posts are activated and more police patrols come in, the attacks - there's no way they'll decrease."

Rishi Ram, the president of the Fiji Taxi Union.