At a time when Fiji didn’t have a functioning Parliament following the December 2006 coup, several individuals associated with the then interim government obtained a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of Parliament”.
This is revealed in information that was provided to Parliament by the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Pio Tikoduadua, in March this year.
Records also show Voreqe Bainimarama was issued four diplomatic passports between January 2006 and March 2023.
From 1973 to 2006, diplomatic passports could only be issued to heads of Fiji’s overseas missions and their spouses, diplomatic staff serving overseas and Cabinet ministers and their spouses.
In 1986 the list was expanded to include the Chief Justice and spouse, the Speaker of Parliament and spouse, the President of Senate and spouse, Leader of Opposition and spouse and the Ombudsman and spouse.
In June 2016 the list was amended to include the officers of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Corrections Service.
Then military commander Voreqe Bainimarama executed the coup on December 5, 2006 and didn’t take Fiji to a general election until September 17, 2014, where his FijiFirst party won by a huge majority and the first sitting of Parliament taking place on October 14, 2014.
From December 2006 to October 14, there was no functioning Parliament in Fiji and during this time several individuals were given a diplomatic passport with a profession “member of Parliament” stated in the application form, stated documents presented in Parliament.
The interim Cabinet of Fiji was appointed in January 2007 following the 2006 coup.
Jainend Kumar was appointed interim Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests in January 2007 and was issued a diplomatic passport on May 9, 2007 under the profession “member of Parliament”.
He was a retired Director of Research with the Agriculture, Sugar and Land Resettlement Ministry and was removed from office by the military government on January 4, 2008.
His diplomatic passport, D001792, was non-active in March 2023.
Mahendra Chaudhry was appointed interim Minister for Finance, Minister for Sugar Reform and Minister for National Planning in January 2007 in the interim military government.
He was the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) leader and also served as Fiji’s prime minister between 1999-2000.
With a date of birth, September 2, 1942 and using the profession “member of Parliament”, Mr Chaudhry was given a diplomatic passport on June 28, 2007 with the number D001793.
Pun Sami Chetty was a retired policeman and on September 18, 2007, he was issued a diplomatic passport with the profession “member of Parliament”.
Mr Sami was sent to New Zealand as Fiji’s acting High Commissioner.
In December 2008, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama ordered the expulsion of New Zealand’s acting high commissioner Caroline McDonald from Fiji and within two hours, Mr Chetty was declared persona non grata by the NZ government and returned home.
A Ulaiasi Ravula with date of birth, May 11, 1964 was issued a diplomatic passport on September 18, 2007 under the profession “member of Parliament”.
Business tycoon and politician James Michael Ah Koy was given a diplomatic passport on October 25, 2007 under the profession “member of Parliament”.
His date of birth in the application was stated as November 30, 1936.
In August 2007, Sir James was appointed to head Fiji’s Embassy in China.
He replaced Colonel Jeremaia Waqanisau who was recalled by the interim government.
Jone Navakamocea was appointed Minister for Local Government, Urban Development and Public Utilities in the interim Cabinet formed by Frank Bainimarama.
He obtained a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of Parliament” on November 21, 2007.
On August 15, 2007, the late Joketani Cokanasiga accepted the invitation to be interim Minister for Fisheries and Forest in the government led by Voreqe Bainimarama.
On May 16, 2008 he was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of Parliament”.
On July 28, 2008, Kamlesh Arya was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of Parliament” and his wife Urmila Arya was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “civil servant”.
Mr Arya had been appointed Fiji’s acting High Commissioner to Australia.
In November 2009, he was expelled from Australia by the Kevin Rudd government.
On January 4, 2008, Tom Ricketts was appointed Interim Minister for Tourism, Trade and Communications after Bainimarama’s 2008 Cabinet reshuffle.
Under the profession “member of Parliament”, he obtained a diplomatic passport with number D001829 on August 7, 2008.
To consolidate the Fiji Military Force’s expanding influence in core parts of the civil service, Brigadier-General Timoci Lesi Natuva was appointed as the new Minister for Works and Transport as part of a Cabinet reshuffle in early 2008.
On August 18, 2008, he was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of parliament”.
Dr Neil Sharma served as Minister for Health between 2009- 2014.
On April 16, 2009, he was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “member of Parliament”.
Records show Voreqe Bainimarama was issued four diplomatic passports between January 2006 and March 2023.
In January 2013 he announced that a constitutional consultation process will commence that will take Fiji towards its first democratic election since 2006.
Between 2006 and until the consultations started, Mr Bainimarama was a pariah to the international community and didn’t travel overseas.
On February 25, 2013, he was issued a diplomatic passport with number D002231 under the profession “Prime Minister”.
This passport was to expire on February 25, 2023.
Records show on September 23, 2015, he was issued another diplomatic passport with the number D002313 that was to expire on September 23, 2025.
His profession was listed as “Prime Minister” in this application.
His wife was also issued a diplomatic passport on September 23, 2015.
However, documents presented to Parliament reveal Mr Bainimarama was issued two more diplomatic passports in 2018.
The first one was issued on October 30, 2018 with the number D002417 under the profession “Minister”.
On month later, On November 15, 2018, he was issued another diplomatic passport, also under the profession “Minister”.
On the same two dates, October 30, 2018 and November 15, 2018, his wife Maria Makitalena Bainimarama was also issued diplomatic passports under the profession “other”.
Passports for both issued on November 15, 2018 is to expire on November 15, 2028 and were classified “active” in March 2023.
In January 2008, the late Jiko Luveni was appointed Minister for Health and then as Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation in the interim government of Mr Bainimarama.
On March 26, 2008 she was issued a diplomatic passport under the profession “civil servant”.
This passport expired on March 26, 2018.
She was the Speaker of Parliament between October 6, 2014 – December 22, 2018 and on November 28, 2017, she
was issued another diplomatic passport under the profession “civil servant” that would expire on November 28, 2027.
Former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum held onto only one diplomatic passport between January 2006 and March 2023 according to
records presented in Parliament.
He was issued a diplomatic passport on January 30, 2015 that was to expire on January 30, 2025.
He listed “member of Parliament” with a date of birth of September 24, 1965 in his application.
This passport is now in-active.
Nazhat Shameem Khan was appointed to Fiji’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, when it first opened in April 2014.
On April 17, 2014, she was issued a diplomatic passport with number D002258.
In her application, the profession was listed as “lawyer”.
Two months later, on June 3, 2014, her husband, Aslam Khan, was issued a diplomatic passport with number D002307.
His profession was listed as “Director”.
Eighteen Republic of Fiji Military Forces officers were issued diplomatic passports between January 2006 and March 2023.
They were Neumi Leweni, late Epeli Ganilau, Mosese Tikoitoga, Pita Driti, Mohammed Aziz, Samu Saumatua, Viliame Naupoto, late Vilikesa Waqatairewa, Penioni Naliva, late Esala Teleni, Manoa Gadai, Timoci Natuva, Sapenafa Motufaga, Isireli Dugu, Ratu Isireli Tagivakatini, Sitiveni Qiliho, Jone Kalouniwai and Eminoni Nabogibogi.
Records show Mosese Tikoitoga was issued a diplomatic passport on April 18, 2017 and it was still active in March 2023.
That passport is to expire on April 18, 2027.
His application shows “military” as profession and Mr Tikoitoga was appointed military commander in 2014 and an Ambassador in January
2016.
Suspended Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho was issued a diplomatic passport on June 13, 2013 that was to expire on June 13, 2023 under the profession “army officer”.
On July 6, 2020, he was issued another diplomatic passport under the profession “military”.
Jioji Konrote served as President from November 12, 2015 – November 11, 2021.
He was issued a diplomatic passport on October 6, 2014 under the profession “diplomat”.
He was issued another diplomatic passport on December 11, 2019 under the profession “President”.
This passport will expire on December 10, 2029 and was still active in March 2023.
Former president and former Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau was issued a diplomatic passport on October 7, 2019 under the profession “Speaker”.
This passport will expire on October 6, 2029 and was still active in March 2023.
“According to the records all diplomatic and official passports have been surrendered after relinquishing the office. The passports have been
deactivated and surrendered at the border upon travelling,” said Mr Tikoduadua.
“From December 2006 to December 23, 2022, five diplomatic passports were reported as destroyed, stolen or missing and no report received from official passports.”
