People’s Alliance Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka says Professor Brij Lal’s spirit will haunt this government for a long time as Lal died in exile because the cold hearted Fijian Government refused to allow him and his wife to return to Fiji.
An emotional Rabuka says it is unbelievable that even after the passing of Professor Lal, reasons can be found by those in authority to prevent his remains from being brought back to the place of his birth.
The former Prime Minister says he condemns that action and asks what has happened to Fiji.
Rabuka says that is the legal side of it and the people will have their say in the moral and emotional side of it.
He adds he is grateful to the three eminent lawyers Graham Leung, Richard Naidu and Filimoni Vosarogo for speaking out against these actions and condemning it.
Meanwhile Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau had said in Parliament this week that the matter regarding the late Professor Brij Lal is one for the Immigration Department and which Parliament cannot interfere with.
While explaining his ruling where he has disallowed NFP’s motion for Professor Brij Lal’s family to be allowed to bring his ashes to Fiji for interment, Ratu Epeli says it is for the late Lal’s family to pursue the matter with the Department of Immigration through the process of application and appeals that are provided like other cases under the Department’s jurisdiction.
Ratu Epeli says if the late Professor Lal’s family feel that they have been unfairly treated, there are avenues for redress available which they should pursue and it is not for parliament to interfere in such matters at this level.
He says Parliament cannot interfere with policy implementation by the government and its statutory bodies and on that basis, NFP’s motion is out of order as it create rise to debate which would purportedly interfere with the mandate of the government.
We have sent questions to the Permanent Secretary for Immigration on why Professor Lal’s family is still banned from bringing his ashes to Fiji and if the Department will do anything about this.
They have not responded.
