9 Aug 2007

Fiji employers protest NZ travel bans

8:02 pm on 9 August 2007

Members of the Fiji Employers Federation are reported to have expressed frustration with travel bans imposed upon some of them after the December 5 military takeover.

The Fijilive news website reports that the issue was discussed at a meeting of the Employers Federation Council this week where a New Zealand Immigration representative, Todd Cleaver, was present.

An FEF member, Jim Sherlock, questioned why the visa applications of Employers Federation representatives on the board of the Fiji National Provident Fund are refused.

Two employers representatives are legally required to be on the board of the Fund.

Employer representative on the Fund, Harvey Probert, said he is currently banned from visiting New Zealand and his son's visa hs been rejected.

New Zealand Iimmigration's Todd Cleaver said these are class bans imposed by the New Zealand cabinet but they can go back to ministers in New Zealand to get their views on a case by case basis.

Another Employers Federation member, Paul Manueli, asked whether New Zealand had achieved what it set out to do through these bans "apart from destroying Fiji."

Mr Cleaver said that was for ministers in New Zealand to answer.