SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka says they condemn the detention and deportation of USP Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife and is calling on Prime Minister and Minister for Immigration and the Attorney General to reverse their decision immediately and let Ahluwalia carry out his work.
Gavoka says they understand Ahluwalia and his wife were transported to Nadi last night and were deported today.
He adds Ahluwalia and his wife did not deserve the barbaric treatment they received.
Gavoka says it is outrageous, and it indicates the type of dictatorial leadership that Fiji is under.
He further says this episode unfortunately will have a drastic impact on Fiji's relationship with other Pacific Island nations and their people.
Gavoka adds as a people within a much larger Pacific Community, the unilateral treatment of the region’s university leader by Fiji shows contempt to our Pacific family and these acts of thuggery by the government and its servants will not go unasked.
The government has stated that the Fijian Immigration Department has ordered two foreign nationals, Pal Aluwahlia and his partner, Sandra Jane Price, to leave Fiji with immediate effect following continuous breaches by both individuals of Section 13 of the Immigration Act.
It says that under Section 13 of the Immigration Act 2003, no foreigner is permitted to conduct themselves in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of Fiji.
The government statement says Aluwahlia and Price were foreign citizens in Fiji on work permits.
It says after repeated breaches by both individuals of the provisions of Section 13 of the Immigration Act, their actions have clearly violated the terms of their work permits, resulting in their subsequent deportation.
The government says similar criteria have been applied to other foreign nationals in Fiji in the past and, as a sovereign nation, Fiji will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any breaches of its immigration law.
It says there are thousands of foreign citizens on work permits in Fiji who conduct themselves and their business in line with the requirements of the Immigration Act while making invaluable contributions to Fiji's socio-economic development.
The government further says following recent amendments to Fiji's Immigration Act, foreign nationals can work and do business in Fiji more easily than ever, and Fiji will continue to welcome foreign nationals whose contributions, experience, and investments enrich the lives of the Fijian people.
