Matter regarding the late Professor Brij Lal is one for the Immigration Department – Speaker

Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau says 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 the National Federation Party’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.

NFP’s General Secretary, Seni Nabou had said last week the NFP had given notice to Parliament that it intended to move a motion in this week’s sitting that Parliament pays tribute to Fiji’s finest and internationally acclaimed scholar, Professor Brij Lal and agrees that the ban on entering Fiji placed on Professor Lal’s wife, Dr Padma Narsey Lal be rescinded immediately by the Department of Immigration to enable her and her children to bring Professor Lal’s ashes to his land and place of birth for interment. Nabou says two days before the Business Committee meeting on Thursday, the Parliamentary Secretariat advised NFP that this motion could not be accepted because of separation of powers.

She says NFP’s questions and motions are repeatedly ruled out of order because of the so-called separation of powers.

Nabou further says one of Parliament’s jobs is to keep a check on the actions of the Government but now the Opposition is being told that the things it wants to say will interfere with the mandate of the Government.

We have also sent questions to the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Immigration, Yogesh Karan on why Dr. Padma Lal remains banned from entering Fiji and whether they will review the decision for her to bring her late husband’s ashes to Fiji. He is yet to respond.

Meanwhile, late Professor Brij Lal’s wife Dr. Padma Lal had told Legend FM News that she will bring her late husband's ashes to Fiji.

Speaking from Australia, Dr. Lal says even if it takes weeks or months, she will keep her late husband’s ashes and bring them to his home in Labasa.

Dr. Lal says if she does not live to see through this, her children have vowed to see through their dad's wishes.