The Civil Aviation (Montreal Convention) 1999 Bill 2016 was passed in Parliament yesterday.

Opposition Whip, Ratu Isoa Tikoca said the bill was only one so far they had supported.

The Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said Clause 3.1 of the bill provided the commencement and short title provision. Clause 3.2 provided for the interpretation section for certain terms and within the Bill.

“Clause 3.3 of the Bill provides that the Act shall bind the Government; Clause 3.4 of the Bill makes provision for the Convention to have the force of law in Fiji in relation to carriage by air which the provision of the Convention applies to, irrespective of nationality of the aircraft.

“Clause 3.5 of the Bill defines ‘State Party’ in relation to the Convention and its application to such State parties or declared territorial units; Clause 3.6 of the Bill provides the revised limits of liability under Article 24 of the Convention; Clause 3.7 of the Bill provides that any further revision to the limits of liability under the Article 24 of the Convention shall be specified by the Minister by order published in the Gazette.

“Clause 3.8 of the Bill provides the Minister the power to make such regulations as necessary to give effect to the Conventions; the schedule of the Bill which is the bulk of the Bill; the rest of the Convention was the Bill itself which had already been given approval by the house,” he said.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Parliament, in fact, proved the ratification of the convention last year and now it’s a State party to the convention which addressed a number of issues

The Parliament had noted the benefits of the Montreal Convention 1999 and approved its accession on March 18 2015, he said.

Edited by Maikeli Seru

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