20 Dec 2008

Niue plans to tighten immigration rules

9:42 am on 20 December 2008

The Niue Premier, Toke Talagi, says his Government will look at changing immigration laws to tighten entry rules.

This comes after a group of Indians was brought to Niue by an Auckland man who reportedly was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars after promising them work and land.

Nine of the Punjabi men were this week flown back to India, with the New Zealand Government paying their fares, amid widespread concerns at the squalid conditions they had been forced to live in.

Mr Talagi, whose Government came to power in June, says they had worked with the International Organisation of Migration to facilitate the Indians' return.

He says the immigration requirements will change and his Government has already instituted greater due diligence on proposals to bring foreigners in.

"We would certainly be very very cautious when it comes to any organisation, groups, in Niue or overseas, who are proposing to do something of a similar kind."

Toke Talagi