Corrections chief Lt Col Ifereimi Vasu and his deputy Akuila Namakadre at the
Fiji Embassy in Tokyo.

The possibility of the resumption of technical cooperation to the Fiji Corrections Service from the Japanese Government was discussed at the recent trip of the Commissioner of Corrections, Lieutenant Colonal Iferemi Vasu and Deputy Commissioner Akuila Namakadre to Japan.

Lt Col. Vasu and Mr Namakadre made the time to pay a courtesy call on the Fiji Embassy in Tokyo while attending the 31st Asia Pacific Conference of Corrections Administrator last week.

Mr Namakadre said they were informed that the programme that is normally provided to the grassroots level in any country by the Government of Japan through the initiatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will soon be opening in Fiji which could see the resumptions of assistance to the FCS apart from the assistance that has been given to the Ministry of Education, Health and Agriculture.

Previously, JICA had assisted technical expertise in farming, information technology and self defence courses for officers. Under the JICA initiatives, corrections officers had also benefited from programmes provided by the United Nations Asia & Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI).

“Also discussed is the possibility of continuing the UNAFEI programs for senior corrections officers that was last attended in 2005,” he said.

“A total of 56 senior corrections officers had attended this annual UNAFEI until 2005.”

Embassy officials were briefed on the objectives of APCCA and how Fiji’s membership could be beneficial to the Fiji Corrections Service through information, resources and expertise sharing.

“We briefed the officials of the initiatives such as the Yellow Ribbon Project, commercialisation, and rehabilitation framework as well as aftercare plans,” says Mr Namakadre. 

“These initiatives were well received by the staff at the embassy.”

“We were assured that FCS would be assisted through the embassy on how it could benefit from the introduction of JICA’s grassroot programme.” 

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