The greenlight has been given to University of the South Pacific vice chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, and Dr Padma Lal, to return to Fiji, by Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.

Prof Ahluwalia was deported in 2021 and Dr Lal – widow of the late Professor Brij Lal – was refused entry to Fiji along with her husband. Prof Ahluwalia currently resides in Samoa  and Dr Lal in Australia.

Mr Rabuka has made it clear this morning that the both of them are free to enter the country.

“I am ready to meet Dr Lal and Professor Ahluwalia personally,” he said.

“I will apologise on behalf of the people of Fiji for the way they were treated.”

Dr Lal had been prevented from coming to Fiji with her husband’s ashes for them to be taken to his birth-place at Tabia, near Labasa. Today marks the first anniversary of Prof. Lal’s passing.

Mr Rabuka said prohibition orders against Prof Brij Lal and Dr Lal, as well as Professor Ahluwalia were unreasonable and inhumane and should never have been made. Mr Rabuka had promised his government would bring to an end the injustices suffered by Prof Ahluwalia, and Prof Lal.

“I received a clarification today from the Department of Immigration that neither Dr Padma Lal nor Professor Ahluwalia were the subject of written prohibition orders,” he said.

Story By: josefa.babitu@fijisun.com.fj