CHILDREN of other races who have been legally adopted by an iTaukei parent are entitled to be registered under the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB).
This was revealed by Fiji Law Society president Laurel Vaurasi during submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.
She said the child was entitled to the rights his or her parents were entitled to.
“The time they are adopted, every right of the parent whether it’s the father or mother is given to this child,” Ms Vaurasi said.
“For example, if you have a Fijian (iTaukei) parent that decides to adopt an Indian child, clearly all the rights of the father and mother go to that child and he becomes an indigenous Fijian child because he has the name and the surname of his parents.
“He then should be registered in the VKB because he has full legal rights. Everything his father and mother are entitled to, he’s also entitled to it.
“And therefore those rights should also flow into the VKB.”
Deputy committee chairman Matai Akauola commended the society for clarifying the issue because the matter had been reserved by the iTaukei Affairs Ministry during their recent presentation to the committee.
