Fiji Now

Controiled Entry Into Fiji Now Fear of Over-Population is the Official Reason

REGULATIONS which have now come into effect in Fiji require every person who wishes to enter the Colony for an intended stay of more than four months, to obtain a permit to do so.

Application forms for these permits should be forwarded to the Chief Immi

gration Officer, in Suva.

Permits to enter and reside in the Colony will be granted only to those who “can fairly be brought within certain

specified categories.” People outside

these categories will be given permission

to enter only in special cases and only with the approval of the Governor

in Council.

There are eight categories to whom

permits will be granted:—

(1) Persons now absent from the Colony who hold valid Fiji passports issued prior to June 5, 1948, and who wish to return to the Colony, and who (a) were originally admitted into Fiji under the indenture system and who were re sident in the Colony when the passport was issued; or (b) had resided in the Colony con tinuously for not less than ten years prior to making application for the Fiji passport, and who also possess business interests or employ ment of a permanent nature in the Colony. (2) Persons to whom permits to enter the Colony were issued prior to the date of these directions and who can satisfy the Principal Immigration Officer that they have not been able to reach the Colony for reasons beyond their control. (3) Persons residing in the Colony who have established or establish a residential status under the Ordinance, and who, having left the Colony with the intention of returning, lose that status by remaining absent from the Colony for more than twelve months—provided that any such person satisfies the Principal Immigration Officer that he was so absent owing to circumstances beyond his control or for some other good and sufficient reason. (Residential status under the Ordinance involves residence in the Colony for a period of five years.) (4) Farmers and planters, provided that they have already acquired a property of not less than 100 acres, three-quarters of which is pro ductive land. (5) Members of professions who have recog nised professional qualifications and intend to practice their profession in the Colony—provided that no permit will be issued to a teacher unless his entry is approved by the Director of Edu cation. (6) .Ministers of religion. (7) Persons who are employed outside the Colony by local firms or undertakings and who are transferred to the Colony. (8) Persons who satisfy the Principal Immi gration Officer that they are in possession of an assured income, that they will not become a charge upon the public funds, that their entry is not contrary to the public interest and who accept such conditions as the Principal Immi gration Officer considers reasonable to impose.

Permits to reside for a period of less than four years may be issued at the discretion of the Principal Immigration Officer to apprentices, skilled tradesmen,

miners, students, persons mider medical

treatment, and to persons entering the Colony under short-term contracts of

employment with local agriculture or

commercial undertakings.

When granting a permit to enter and

reside in Fiji the Principal Immigration

Officer (who is also the Commissioner of Police) may require security in the de posit of cash or in providing a bond.

He may also require the entrant to en gage only in the specified occupation or profession for which he entered; or that he will report to the Immigration Officer

if he ceases to be employed by the em ployer for whom he went to Fiji to work.

AS an explanation to these immigra tion regulations, it was stated, offi cially, that it was clear from the 1946 census in Fiji that the population of the Colony was increasing rapidly and that it was estimated that the 260,000 people then in the Colony will have in creased to 340,000 in 1956 and have passed the half-million mark by 1970. It was therefore deemed necessary to ex ercise stricter control over entry into Fiji.

A committee was set up to make re commendations to the Governor in Council. The committee comprised the following citizens: the Commissioner of Police. Messrs. R. N. Caldwell, H, King Irving, K. B. Singh, Vishnu Deo, Joeli Ravai, H. Maurice Scott and J. Judd.

Presumably this committee was well qualified for the job and knew what it was about. It is interesting to note, however, in these days when regulations are the norm, that prior to the war any one could enter Fiji who held a valid passport and a return ticket. It is also interesting to note that the rapidly in creasing population which allegedly is the reason for these regulations, comes mainly from one section—the Indian community. It appears distinctly un likely that the Colony of Fiji will be overwhelmed by migrants from Aus tralasia, In, one case that has recently come to the notice of this journal, a position in Fiji was advertised in Sydney news papers. A salary of £4OO per annum and free board and lodging went with the job. Before the war, the advertiser of this particular job would literally have been killed in the rush of applications.

In June 1948, the advertisements brought forth exactly four replies—and three of the applicants were obviously impossible.