Calls made to automatically grant citizenship to the iTaukei listed on the VKB and residing overseas

iTaukei who are overseas citizens listed on the Vola ni Kawa Bula (Native Lands Register) should be allowed to automatically become Fijian citizens by virtue of the fact that they are listed on the VKB.

While making submissions during the consultation on the review of the Immigration Act 2003 for visa and permit exemptions for persons registered on the VKB, iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission Principal Administrative Officer, Apimeleki Tola says putting restrictions like this will be a slap on the face of a person who is listed on the VKB and is living overseas.

He says a person listed on the VKB becomes a landowner automatically and with that comes obligations to the vanua.

Tola says a person on the VKB should automatically become a citizen of Fiji because they have traditional obligations to perform.

A SODELPA representative, Joe Vuniwai says thousands from the indigenous community are residing overseas because of work opportunities, especially those in the British Army which required them to have a British passport.

He says that excluded them to be part of what is happening in the country.

Vuniwai also recommends that there should be a system that connects the Immigration Department and Fijian Missions overseas to the VKB because people have to come to Fiji to register their children on the VKB which is costly.