PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DAILY HANSARD WEDNESDAY, 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2020 [CORRECTED COPY] C O N T E N T S Pages Minutes … … … … … … … … … … 1795 Communications from the Chair … … … … … … … 1795 Presentation of Reports of Committees … … … … … 1795-1805 (1) Review Report on the Fiji Airports 2017 Annual Report (2) Review Report on the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Annual Report 2017 (3) Consolidated Review Report on the Sugar Industry Tribunal 2011-2015 Annual Reports (4) Annual Review of the Fiji Museum 2015, January-July 2016 and 2016-2017 Annual Reports (5) Review Report on the Performance Audit Report of the Office of the Auditor-General (6) Review Report on the Fiji National Sports Commission August 2017-July 2018 Annual Report (7) Review Report on the Petition - Government to Provide Safe and Affordable Shipping Services to Lau Group Ministerial Statements … … … … … … … … 1805-1824 (1) Devastating Impact of COVID-19 to Fiji Airways’ Financial Position (2) Free Education Grant Republic of Fiji-Solomon Islands Maritime Boundaries … … … … 1824-1825 – Review of the Delimitation Agreement Review of the Amendments to the ISA Framework Agreement … … … 1825 Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution … … … 1825 and Child Pornography – Review of Madrid System & Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property … 1826-1841 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child … … … 1842-1850 on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict Review Report – FNPF Annual Report 2018 … … … … … … 1851-1872 Suspension of Standing Orders … … … … … … … 1872-1873 Consolidated Review Report – OPM Annual Reports 2013 & 2014 … … … 1874-1880 Special Committee to Inquire into the Vibracy and Vitality of the Dairy Industry … 1880-1891 Questions … … … … … … … … … … 1891-1908 Oral Questions (1) Relocation of Lautoka Flea Market (Q/No. 116/2020) (2) Uptake on the ‘Love our Locals’ Campaign (Q/No. 117/2020) (3) Status of the Dome Mining Project (Q/No. 118/2020) (4) Recruitment of Classroom Teachers in 2021 (Q/No. 119/2020) (5) Progress of the Joint Venture Scheme - Nasarawaqa (Q/No. 120/2020) (6) Keyhole Surgery in Fiji (Q/No. 121/2020) (7) Method of Rubbish Collection (Q/No. 122/2020) (8) careFiji App (Q/No. 123/2020) Written Questions (1) Small Grant Project Allocation (Q/No. 124/2020) – Question Withdrawn (2) 2020-2021 Major Road Rehabilitation Works (Q/No. 125/2020) (3) List of Ownership – Primary and Secondary Schools (Q/No. 126/2020) WEDNESDAY, 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2020 The Parliament met at 9.35 a.m., pursuant to adjournment. HONOURABLE SPEAKER took the Chair and read the Prayer. PRESENT All Members were present, except the Honourable J.N. Nand. MINUTES HON. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN PARLIAMENT.- Honourable Speaker, I beg to move: That the Minutes of the sitting of Parliament held on Tuesday, 1st September, 2020, as previously circulated, be taken as read and be confirmed. HON. A.A. MAHARAJ.- Honourable Speaker, Sir, I beg to second the motion. Question put. Motion agreed to. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CHAIR HON. SPEAKER.- I welcome all Honourable Members to today’s sitting of Parliament. I also welcome all those watching the live broadcast and the live streaming of today’s proceedings from the comforts of their home, offices and mobile phones. Thank you for taking an interest in your Parliament. Honourable Members, I have been advised that there are no papers for presentation today. PRESENTATION OF REPORTS OF COMMITTEES HON. SPEAKER.- I now call on the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, the Honourable Viam Pillay, to table his Report. You have the floor, Sir. Review Report on the Fiji Airports 2017 Annual Report HON. V. PILLAY.- Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am pleased to present the Report of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs on the Annual Review of Fiji Airports for the year ended 31st December, 2017. The review was undertaken in accordance with Standing Order 109(2)(b), which mandates the Committee to look into issues related to health, education, social services, labour, culture and media. The review looked at nine key areas covering the period from January to December 2017, conducted into Fiji Airports’ administration, structure, budgetary allocation, programmes and activities, policies, challenges, highlights, priorities for the coming years and its implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 1796 Presentation of Reports of Committees 2nd Sept., 2020 The Committee first met on 25th and 26th April, 2020, to deliberate on and formulate questions pertaining to the 2017 Annual Report of Fiji Airports. We were unable to conduct a public hearing with Fiji Airports due to COVID-19 restrictions put in place around the country when the hearing was scheduled to take place. In order to comply with health directives and social distancing measures in place, the Committee requested for a written response from Fiji Airports in lieu of an annual review hearing. Following our deliberations on its written response, we wrote to Fiji Airports requesting for further clarifications on other related matters. Upon receipt of all relevant information from Fiji Airports on the Committee’s queries, the Committee compiled its finding on the Annual Report and subsequently endorsed its report in the latter part of August. At this juncture, I would also like to thank the former Chief Executive Officer of Fiji Airports, a very dedicated and hardworking person, the late Mr. Faiz Khan, and his staff for their assistance in this review process. I also extend my gratitude to my Committee colleagues, namely: Honourable George Vegnathan (Deputy Chairperson); Honourable Alipate Nagata; Honourable Salote Radrodro; and Honourable Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu for their contributions. Finally, I thank the Secretariat for providing support to the Committee. On behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, I commend the Report on the Fiji Airports 2017 Annual Report to Parliament and request Honourable Members of this august House to take note of the Report. Thank you Mr. Speaker, Sir. HON. SPEAKER.- Please, hand the Report to the Secretary-General. (Report handed to Secretary-General) HON. V. PILLAY.- Mr. Speaker, Sir, pursuant to Standing Order 121(5), I hereby move a motion without notice: That a debate on the content of the Report is initiated at a future sitting. HON. G. VEGNATHAN.- Mr. Speaker, Sir, I second the motion. HON. SPEAKER.- Parliament will now vote. Question put. Motion agreed to. Honourable Members, I now call on the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, the Honourable Alvick Maharaj, to table his Report. You have the floor, Sir. Review Report on the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Annual Report 2017 HON. A.A. MAHARAJ.- Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights was referred the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Annual Report 2017. The Committee was mandated to review the Annual Report and table its findings back to Parliament. 2nd Sept., 2020 Presentation of Reports of Committees 1797 This Report will provide the findings and recommendations of the Committee with respect to the issues noted from the contents of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Annual Report 2017. This Report is divided into three main parts as follows, the: (1) introduction; (2) Committee’s observation and findings; and (3) recommendations. The Committee reviewed the Annual Report and identified a few pertinent issues, which were then brought to the attention of the Commission and discussed extensively. Some of the main areas of discussion, which were noted by the Committee are as follows, the: work of the Commission in looking into matters concerning human rights and it is worth noting the Commission’s efforts in standing up for the people of Fiji who have had their rights abused; Commissions’ work and collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union and civil society organisations on awareness on the ‘First Hour Procedure’ for persons detained by the Police; work by the Commission in partnering with other statutory authorities, to ensure that there is no gender discrimination when it comes to registration and investigation of complaints; Commission’s recommendation of adopting and implementing a monitoring framework, such as the National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-Up (NMIRF) and a fully integrated National Recommendations Tracking Database (NRTD); concerns noted in respect of prejudicial activities being carried out by certain landlords, especially those living in squatter settlements; issue regarding persons seeking refugee status and the Commission’s role and efforts in intervening in such matters, for example, the case concerning an Iranian refugee seeking refugee status in Fiji; Commission’s work on awareness and advocacy programmes on human rights related issues; need for easy access to human rights services for the people of Fiji in all four Divisions, and the commendable step taken by the Commission in looking to decentralise the Commission’s Office beginning from the Western Division; Commission’s work which relates to the United Nations 2030 Global Agenda and the monitoring of these goals, specifically with regards to human rights institutions in Fiji; and furthermore concerns on the delay in furnishing the accounts for audits as required under the Financial Management Act. 1798 Presentation of Reports of Committees 2nd Sept., 2020 At the conclusion of the review, the Committee commends the great work carried out by the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, but also recommends the following for consideration by the Commission, as it believes it would assist the Commission in its work: The Committee notes the need for accessibility of the service provided by the Commission to the people of Fiji and appreciates the efforts in setting up an office in the Western Division. The Committee thus recommends that there be more decentralisation of the Commission’s Office.