The concerning rate of people leaving Fiji has lost the country valuable human resources and capital forcing it to turn to immigration labour, a senior academic says.

This month, the 2017 Census results showed a decreasing population growth rate – from two per cent in 1986, 0.8 per cent in 1996 to 0.6 per cent in 2017.

The Bureau of Statistics attributed the decline to decreasing birth rates and a jump in out-migration.

Vijay Naidu, Professor at the School of Government, Development and International Affairs  at the University of the South Pacific and an expert in migration studies, said the decline was significant and a matter of concern.

“The jump in migration figures occurred following the 1987 coup and it has never really declined since then,” Professor Naidu said.

“On average, 5000 people have emigrated each year from the country since 1987 (according to emigration figures that used to be provided by the Fiji Islands Bureau of Statistics).

“It does not take account of those who have migrated without saying that they were leaving the country for good, so between 150,000-200,000 people have left Fiji (since then).”

He said the broad population trends were consistent with a country that was modernising and urbanising.

He added the loss of professional tradespeople has meant turning to immigrant labour from countries like China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka (Asia).

Ethnic data was never released by the bureau. However, the researcher believes the iTaukei population growth and fertility rate remains relatively high.

Contrastingly, the population growth rate of Indo-Fijians, the nation’s second largest ethnic group, was on a spectacular decline, he said.

Professor Naidu has extensively researched areas such as development policies, coups in Fiji, migration, urbanisation, informal settlements, the post-colonial state, poverty, social protection and human security, small island states and globalisation among other major topics.

The Census results also showed a youth-dominated populace make-up. Half of Fiji’s population falls below the age of 27, while nearly 70 percent are below 40.

Yet Professor Naidu said policies must accommodate both the elderly and the youth demographics.

“There is a need for proactive policies and actions at both ends of the demographic spectrum,” he said.

“Good nutrition, education and training for children and youth, and income security and social services for the elderly, including health services.

“As women live longer than men, most of the elderly will be women and particular attention will need to be paid to this gender dimension,” he said.

The percentage of people living in urban areas has grown to 55.9 per cent, a steep rise from 37.2 per cent in 1976 and 38.7 per cent in 1986.

This, Professor Naidu believes, was a consequence of depopulation of the outer islands and the interior regions of the main islands.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Feedback:  sheldon.chanel@fijisun.com.fj