Attorney General Siromi Turaga.

iTaukei who are citizens of another country but are registered in the Vola ni Kawa Bula can now return to Fiji without the hassle of obtaining a permit or Visa.

This as Parliament has passed the bill that seeks to amend the Immigration Act 2003.

The Act will now allow a person who is not a citizen but whose name is registered in the VKB to enter, reside, and work in Fiji without having to obtain a permit or Visa.

Attorney General Siromi Turaga says the VKB is a register of iTaukei determines membership in Yavusa or Mataqali.

He says it is an avenue that justifies title holders within iTaukei communities.

He adds that by virtue of registration in the VKB, an iTaukei person is considered a landowning member in Fiji, and therefore the purpose of being registered is defeated when the process of return is bureaucratic or non-convenient.

“It was removed at the time when parliament was not convened with no Opposition to question such removal. Now given the manner to which the provision was removed it is only right that this be corrected.”

Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji]

Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto who was also the Director Immigration in 2007 says this move by the government opens windows for corruption.

“Please don’t pull in this very sacred system and allow it to be open, don’t because you can do it in other ways, and I know this because I was the one and I thought I did a favour by removing it and keeping it safe…I was the Director Immigration and I did it because when I went there I saw that every system that had to produce requirements for immigration were very open to corruption.”

The total members of iTaukei registered in the VKB to date is 541,540.

The Attorney General says back in 2003 a provision allows these iTaukei in the VKB to return home without having to apply for permit.