Fiji’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Pravesh Sharma, said that retaining passports of immigrant workers employed in Fiji constitutes a human trafficking offence.

He was responding to recent concerns raised by Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Pio Tikoduadua after a video surfaced allegedly featuring Daniel Whippy, the managing director of Carpenters Fiji Limited, acknowledging the retention of immigrant workers’ passports.

Minister Tikoduadua issued a statement stating that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Immigration and the Fiji Police Force, has had initiated a thorough investigation into the allegations.

The authorities are working closely with other relevant entities to gather evidence and information essential to the inquiry.

Complaints Received

Mr Sharma said the case involving Carpenters Fiji Limited was not an isolated incident. The Commission has received reports concerning immigrant workers from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, employed as construction workers and fishing vessel workers, facing similar troubling situations.

“These people are brought in and employers hold on to their passports,” he said.

“The reason being, they (the employers) feel they have invested in these people. They have brought them over and paid for their fares. They are kept in an accommodation which they (the employers) provide.

“So, the employers hold on to the passport so that these people are not able to get other employments in Fiji.

“To my knowledge, they are poorly treated because they (the employers) hold on to the passports which become a human trafficking offence.

“Our Commission has received many of these complaints, we’ve dealt with them as well and we will investigate the Carpenters Fiji issue as well,” Mr Sharma said.

Reason For Comment: Whippy

In a statement last week, Mr Whippy said the comment he made was to inject humour or as an attempt to share a light moment.

“I am fully aware that we do not keep passports on behalf of our employees,” he said.

“At the same time, however, it is readily acknowledged that there is always a risk that what I thought was an innocent and humorous remark such as the one made by me at the conference may be construed in the manner it apparently was in this occasion.

“I express my regret and apologise to anyone who felt aggrieved.”

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