Security stepped up in Fiji for Asian Development Bank Meeting

Security has been stepped up in the Fijian town of Nadi, with more than 400 police officers deployed for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) meeting this week. More than 2,000 delegates from around the world are expected to gather for the major international meeting, with issues like poverty and climate change to be discussed. The Pacific nations have recently witnessed an alarming increase in terrorist activities out of which Christ Church Mosque shooting and Easter massacre in Sri Lanka.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Maretino Qiolevu said the high police presence is to ensure the meetings are held without any major incidents. He said the eyes of the world will be on Fiji after months of planning. "Months of planning and preparation, and for some sleepless nights, is finally upon us as we begin our operations for the 52^nd ADB annual meeting and the eyes of the world will be on Fiji and whether as a small Pacific nation we have the ability to host an annual event of this magnitude."

Fiji's economy minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum appealed to the people not to use the ADB meeting to undermine Fiji's reputation. Meanwhile, the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) has applied for a police permit to march in Nadi on Saturday over matters such as the national minimum wage, labor law reforms and the right to strike.

The terrorists attack in Sri Lanka on April 21 was reportedly planned and executed by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Sri Lankan to revenge Christ Church Mosque shooting in Australia. So far around 300 people had died and over 500 injured in this massacre of innocents by Islamic terrorists in Sri Lanka.