Camillo Calls for Five-Year Minimum Jail Term for Attacks on Public Transport Drivers

Kingdom Unite All People's Party (KUAPP) Election Campaign Lead Abel Camillo is calling for a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence for people convicted of assaulting public transport drivers amid growing concerns over attacks on taxi operators.

Camillo said existing penalties were inadequate to deter attacks against drivers who often work long hours and late at night to support their families.

“No person should have to choose between earning an honest living and risking their life,” Camillo said.

“KUAPP stands alongside our drivers to demand a mandatory minimum five-year imprisonment term for any individual convicted of assaulting a public transport provider.”

His comments come amid renewed concern over the safety of taxi drivers, with the Fiji Zone Taxi Association recently reporting that around six to seven drivers are affected by robberies and assaults each month.

Camillo said attacks on drivers also had wider consequences for Fiji, including discouraging operators from working at night, affecting businesses dependent on late-night transport and potentially damaging Fiji's reputation as a safe tourism destination.

KUAPP is also proposing government assistance for taxi and other public transport operators to install in-vehicle cameras and GPS tracking systems.

The party has called for increased late-night Police patrols and checkpoints in areas identified as high-risk locations for drivers.

“We must build a New Fiji where the safety of our working class is sacred,” Camillo said.

He called on the relevant authorities to take stronger action to protect drivers before further lives are put at risk.

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