𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑, 𝐍𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐔𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑

The Acting Commissioner of Corrections began his visit to the Northern Division on 12.8.25 to mark the roll out of the new financial year 2025/26.

The staff of the Labasa CC assembled for a talanoa session last night with the Acting Commissioner who provided a strategic overview of the plan laid out under the FCS Strategic Plan. Key amongst the priority areas will be the implementation of budget allocation where FCS received 62.5m this year.

The Acting Commissioner stressed that with its financial allocation, government expects the FCS to provide clear guidelines, policy and instructions to achieve the goals stated under its Annual Corporate Plan.

It would require proper coordination and collaboration in the areas including the continuous Job Evaluation Exercise implementation, Rehabilitation Programmes of inmates, Infrastructure development, Staff Training and enhancing Technology especially CCTV and effective communications.

This morning (13/8/25) the Acting Commissioner toured the cane fields in Labasa where the inmates as part of their rehabilitation are engaged in sugarcane harvesting to assist the farmers.

The FCS provides a critical component of the labour scheme and have made enormous strides to the overall sugar production in the country. Since the programme started the prisoners have harvested around 58,000 tonnes of sugarcane recording a significant amount of raw material to keep the mills running.

” We have a good working relationship with the FSC and the actors in the sugar industry who have been supportive of FCS contributions over the years”, said Mr Naucukidi.

While addressing the inmates the Acting Commissioner highlighted that while many may not have noticed the inmates contributions, the recorded tonnage harvested by the three gangs in Labasa speaks for itself.

“I can confirm that the prisoners work schedule have surpassed what was planned in terms of total tonnage harvested and the number of farms that have been cleared by the prisoners”, said Acting Commissioner Naucukidi.

A total of 18 farmers around Wailevu, Tabia, Vatudova, Nakama and Vunika directly benefit from the programme with 39 prisoners deployed to work on daily basis. Similar programmes are also ongoing in Lautoka, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki which will be visited in the coming weeks.

The sugarcane harvesting programmes was designed for the prisoners to earn a decent source of income and also contribute to the growth of our national economy.

The Acting Commissioner and his entourage will proceed to Taveuni before retiring back to Suva on completion of the inspections programme.