The Registration of Skilled Professionals Bill 2016 was passed in Parliament yesterday.

It was approved by 29 votes to nine while 12 abstained.

The Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the Bill sought to allow and create an avenue which the required skilled professionals Fiji required were to be fast-tracked and also given a separate application process.

“It is a very enabling law. It does not take away the jobs of Fijians. By having the right professional skills set, we are actually encouraging more commerce. It also allows Fijians to have access to professions they don’t have access to,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

He said the Bill also set out in a clear and transparent manner how these professionals would operate.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this law would rest under the Prime Minister.

“The Prime Minister will put in place regulations that will identify areas in which we will need professional skills sets and should any of those be rejected through the normal process, of course they can come through to this Independent Committee and then the committee can then assess and make recommendations.”

Opposition parliamentarian, Mosese Bulitavu said the Bill was another pathway and there was no place in the Bill that showed Fijians would benefit from it.

“Once you are rejected, you can use this Committee to have your certificate, but it is only safe for us to consult the Independent Committee for them to at least give us the reason why an application was rejected and why it was not allowed.”

While replying to Mr Bulitavu’s comments, Minister for Local Government, Environment and Housing, Parveen Kumar said the new Bill was not another pathway, but it was an issue of getting volunteers into the country.

Mr Kumar said the Bill was designed to assist organisations in getting professional skilled people to offer services in the country.

Edited by Maikeli Seru

Feedback: aqela.susu@fijisun.com.fj