Fiji Visa Laws “Discriminatory”

THEexecutive director of the Pacific Islands News Association, Mr Ta vake Fusimalohi, says Fiji’s new visa procedures for foreign journalists dis criminate against Pacific islanders. He said the new requirements were not reciprocal, as the Fiji Government had claimed.

Overseas journalists wishing to report events in Fiji must now apply for a permit through the Fiji mission in their home country, which sends the application to Suva for approval. Where there is no Fiji mission in their home country, applica tions can be made to the Information Ministry in Suva. Previously, journalists could work on a visitor’s permit.

Mr Fusimalohi listed 12 Pacific island

countries and territories in which Fiji journalists could work freely on ordinary visitor’s permits. He said it would be harder for journalists from the islands he men tioned to obtain Fiji work permits be cause Fiji did not have diplomatic missions there.

Fiji members of the Pacific Islands News Association PINA had con sistently supported resolutions calling for the full and unrestricted freedom of move ment of journalists.

Mr Fusimalohi said the Association, which links print and broadcast media in the island nations of the South Pacific, was also disturbed by what he termed “contin uing harassment” of journalists in Fiji. □