A bill which would allow Fijian peacekeepers to carry a new category of passports will be debated by Parliament on Thursday.
The Passports Amendment Bill 2016 has been tabled in parliament by Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
Sayed-Khaiyum told parliament that the Passports Amendment Bill seeks to include a new category of passports called the Official Fijian passport and it will only be used by Fiji’s disciplined forces.
He says the amendment will allow Fijian peacekeepers to travel safely between hostile borders in the Middle East.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the government had been issuing emergency passports to peacekeepers as a temporary measure.
He adds that consultations were carried out with the Ministry of Defence and Immigration as well as the RFMF, Police, Corrections Service and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Opposition Whip, Ratu Isoa Tikoca had concerns about the bill and asked whether the United Nations has been approached about the issue.
25 parliamentarians voted for the bill to be debated on Thursday without being referred to a Standing Committee and 16 voted against it.
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