Riya Mala 
Repealing the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and replacing it with the Criminal Records Bill 2025 could put communities and vulnerable groups at risk.
This is according to the Fiji Council of Social Services.
FCOSS Program Manager Josaia Tokoni says the Bill does not exclude serious offences from its rehabilitation framework.
He says individuals who have committed major crimes could have their records wiped clean, posing a direct threat to communities, especially in high-risk situations like humanitarian crises.
“The Bill, in its current form, does not exclude any offences from its rehabilitation framework. This is a significant oversight. It means individuals who have committed the most serious crimes could have their records wiped clean, posing a direct threat to the communities they return to, particularly in high-risk situations such as humanitarian crises.”
Tokoni says a repeal-and-replace approach is high-risk. He is urging that the Bill be amended rather than repealed.
Committee member Ratu Josaia Niudamu asked if the Bill should cover only minor offences. Tokoni said the risk would remain and recommended expanding Clause 55 to include humanitarian workers.
FCOSS works with Fiji’s most vulnerable groups, including women, children, people with disabilities and those living in poverty.
Tokoni stressed the organisation has a duty to ensure policies do not expose these groups to harm.
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