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Title: Fiji Human Rights Practices, 1995
Author: U.S. Department of State
Date: March 1996
FIJI
Fiji's system of parliamentary democracy, inherited when the country
gained independence from Great Britain in 1970, was interrupted in 1987
with the installation of a military-led regime following two bloodless
coups. Fiji returned to elected government in 1992. That Government
fell in November 1993 over failure to pass a budget for 1994. The
subsequent general election in February 1994 returned Prime Minister
Sitiveni Rabuka and substantially the same government to office.
Ethnicity plays a major role in Fiji's politics, economy, and society.
Fiji's more than 775,000 people constitute a multiracial society in
which indigenous Fijians and ethnic Indians together, in roughly equal
numbers, account for 96 percent of the population. Indo-Fijians
dominate the commercial sector and professions and are well represented
in the lower and middle levels of the Government. Ethnic Fijians
control the legal and political organizations and dominate the military
forces.
The small but professional Fiji Military Forces (FMF) and a separate
police force report to and are under the control of the Minister for
Home Affairs and, ultimately, the President. In 1990 the Government
also established the Fiji Intelligence Service, with limited statutory
powers to search people and property, monitor telephones, and access
mail correspondence and financial records. There continue to be
credible reports of occasional human rights abuses by individual police
officers.
Sugar and tourism constitute the mainstays of the economy, accounting
for almost half of the nation's foreign exchange earnings. The
Government is promoting light manufacturing for export, notably a
garment industry, to diversify the economy and lessen its dependence on
sugar and tourism.
Principal human rights problem remained constitutionally imposed and
ethnically based political discrimination which, inter alia, abridges
the right of citizens to change their government, as well as overt bias
in land tenure and government policies favoring ethnic Fijians. Other
human rights problems include occasional police brutality, potential
constraints on the exercise of freedom of the press, continued delays in
bringing criminal and civil cases to trial, discrimination and cases of
violence against women, and instances of abuse of children.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom
From:
a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing
There were no reports of political killings by the Government or any
political group.
In September a court sentenced two police officers to life imprisonment
for first degree murder following a 1994 death in the arrest of a knife-
wielding suspect. A third officer pled guilty to a lesser charge and
was the Government's major witness in the court's finding that police
had used excessive force to subdue the intoxicated victim.
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
Police sometimes physically abuse detainees; the authorities have
sometimes punished offending officers, but these punishments have not
served as an effective deterrent to other officers' actions. The Police
Department's internal affairs unit investigates complaints of police
brutality and has begun to work with the Ombudsman's office to ensure
impartial observers in the investigation of complaints about police
conduct.
Prison authorities strive to meet minimum international standards,
within the limits of local financial restraints. Prison conditions are
Spartan and food and sanitation limited. The Government permits visits
to the prisons by church groups and family members.
The law permits corporal punishment as a penalty for criminal acts, but
this provision is seldom invoked.
d. Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, or Exile
The Law of Arrest and Detention provides that a person may be arrested
only if police believe that a breach of the criminal law has been or is
about to be committed. Arrested persons must be brought before a court
without "undue delay." This is taken to mean within 24 hours, with 48
hours as the exception (such as when an arrest is made during the
weekend). Rules governing detention are designed to ensure fair
questioning of suspects. Defendants have the right to a judicial review
of the grounds for arrest; in urgent cases defendants may apply to a
judge at any time, whether he is sitting or not. Incommunicado and
arbitrary detention, both illegal, did not occur.
Exile is not practiced.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
The judiciary is independent under the Constitution and in practice.
There were no credible reports in 1995 of courts having been influenced
by the executive.
The judicial structure was reorganized under the 1990 Constitution, but
remained patterned on the British system. The principal courts are the
magistrate courts, the High Court, and the Court of Appeal. The
Constitution also provides for a Supreme Court as the court of final
appeal. The Supreme Court held its first meeting in November, 7 years
after Fiji lost its access to Great Britain's Privy Council following
the 1987 coups. The Court of Appeal has made considerable progress in
reducing the backlog of cases caused by the Government's failure to
appoint a president for the Court until December 1991 and the Court's
consequent inability to convene before that time.
There are no special courts; military courts try only members of the
armed forces. Magistrate courts continue to try the large majority of
cases. In addition to its jurisdiction in serious civil and criminal
cases, the High Court is granted special interest jurisdiction on behalf
of the public and is empowered to review alleged violations of
individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
Defendants have the right to a public trial and to counsel. Trials in
the High Court provide for the presence of assessors (citizens randomly
selected to represent the community); cases in magistrate court do not.
In litigation involving lesser complaints, a public legal advisor
assists indigent persons in domestic or family law cases. The right of
appeal exists but is hampered by continuing delays in the appeals
process. Bail procedures mean that most defendants do not experience
any pretrial detention.
The law sometimes treats women differently from men. In some instances
there is a presumption of reduced competence and thus reduced
responsibility. For example, only women can be charged with infanticide
(if a man kills an infant it is treated as murder, a more serious
charge). A woman in an infanticide case is presumed to have diminished
mental capacity, and courts reduce or suspend sentences accordingly.
There were no reports of political prisoners.
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or
Correspondence
In general, the Government respects the privacy of the home. However,
the Intelligence Service has powers, within specific operational
guidelines, to search people and property, access private financial
records, and monitor mail and telephones when a warrant is issued by the
National Security Council. The Intelligence Service does conduct
surveillance of persons it believes represent a security threat. Some
political dissidents believe their telephones and mail are monitored,
but they have not produced substantiating evidence.
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
Freedom of speech is generally respected. The Government at times
criticizes the media for its coverage of sensitive issues, particularly
if the Government perceives the coverage as resulting in a diminution of
respect for authority.
Nevertheless, political figures and private citizens can and do speak
out against the Government. Although the Public Order Act and other
laws prohibit actions that are likely to incite racial antagonism, there
were no reported arrests for such public statements.
The Government has broad discretionary powers to impose restrictions on
press freedom, and their past use, combined with traditional deference
to authority, serves to encourage media self-censorship. In late 1994,
senior media representatives created the Fiji News Council as a response
to periodic government complaints of lack of media accountability for
its errors, a lack of recourse for those who felt they had been wronged,
and a perceived threat that a media watchdog body might be imposed.
However, this Council has only limited participation by media
organizations, and it has met with considerable opposition from
journalists.
The only reported case of press restriction was a judicial writ against
one newspaper to cease publishing the contents of a government
commission's report on the Vatakoula gold mine. A court granted the
mining company an injunction against the newspaper on the grounds that
the press had surreptitiously obtained the ungazetted report.
Legislation pertaining to the press is contained in the Newspaper
Registration Act (NRA) and the Press Correction Act (PCA). Under the
NRA, all newspapers must be registered with the Government before they
can begin publishing. Although the Government has never used the PCA,
the Act nevertheless gives the Minister of Information sole
discretionary power to order a newspaper to publish a "correcting
statement" if, in the Minister's opinion, a false or distorted article
has been published. Should the newspaper refuse to publish the
Minister's correction, the Government can bring suit. If found guilty,
the newspaper may be fined approximately $700 (individual persons
convicted under the Act may be fined approximately $150 or imprisoned
for 6 months). The PCA allows the Government to arrest anyone who
publishes "malicious" material. This includes anything the Government
considers false news which could create or foster public alarm or result
in "detriment to the public."
The media operate without prior censorship but with considerable self-
censorship. Newspapers occasionally print editorials critical of the
Government but rarely do investigative reporting. They widely report
statements about the political situation made by opposition figures and
foreign governments. The letters columns of the two daily newspapers
frequently contain political statements from a wide cross section of
society, including members of the deposed precoup government, who are
highly critical of the Government, its programs, and the Constitution.
Criticism, albeit muted, of the once sacrosanct traditional chiefly
system is appearing more frequently. However, the Government still
views comments about individual chiefs with disfavor.
An active local organization, the Fiji Islands Media Association (FIMA),
is an affiliate of the regional Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).
Both FIMA and PINA are pressing for better training and the
establishment of codes of ethics for journalists. In a show of tangible
support for strengthening the media, the Government has unconditionally
provided space for housing the Fiji Journalism Training Institute.
The advent of television has raised the specter of censorship, openly
advocated by the former head of the powerful Methodist Church and
others. News production has shifted from the Government's video unit to
production by the privately owned and operated Fiji One Television.
While academic freedom is respected, the Government has effectively
deterred university employees from participation in domestic politics.
Since 1991 staff members of the Fiji-based University of the South
Pacific must take leave if they run for public office and must resign
their university positions if elected. Senior staff may not hold office
in political parties. Student groups are free to organize and do so.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
The Constitution provides the right to assemble for political purposes,
subject to restrictions in the interest of public order. District
officers must issue permits for public gatherings. The Government does
not always grant permits for large outdoor political meetings or
demonstrations, particularly if the police advise of difficulties with
the anticipated crowd size or their ability to assure public safety.
The Government routinely issued permits for rallies organized by
political parties, religious groups, and groups opposed to government
policies. There was no Government interference in, and permits were
issued for, large rallies against a government decision to lift the
Sunday observance decree (banning all organized sporting and commercial
activities on Sundays), as well as for a march condemning France's
decision to resume nuclear testing in the Pacific region.
All opposition party headquarters operate without government
interference. Political organizations operate and issue public
statements and they did so repeatedly and openly throughout the year.
c. Freedom of Religion
The Constitutional provision of freedom of religion is honored in
practice. The Government does not restrict foreign clergy and
missionary activity or other typical activities of religious
organizations.
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel,
Emigration, and Repatriation
The Government does not restrict freedom of movement within the country
or abroad. Airport security occasionally detains travelers at the
airport, but the courts order redress where this is warranted. Citizens
are free to emigrate, and an estimated 40,000 have done so since 1987.
The Government does not restrict their return if they choose to do so.
It has in fact encouraged those who left after the political coups to
return. There are no refugees and no forced resettlement programs.
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to
Change Their Government
The Constitutional provisions ensuring political dominance by ethnic
Fijians, primarily through race-based voting rolls and representation in
Parliament, abridge the right of citizens to change their government.
Moreover, the Constitution was promulgated by a nonelected interim
government and has never been approved by a national referendum. At
year's end, the Constitution was under review by a three-member
independent commission. The commission has received hundreds of
submissions and held dozens of hearings. Many presentations have
offered thoughtful ideas to ameliorate racial divides and forge a
stable, peaceful, and prosperous future. Others, including that of the
ruling party (the SVT or Fijian Political Party), have taken less
positive approaches. The SVT urged the commission to ensure ethnic
Fijian control over Fiji's political process and government, backed by
unchallenged ethnic control of the military.
The Constitution provides for ethnic Fijian dominance of the Government
by providing them with 37 of 70 seats in the elected lower house of
Parliament. Indo-Fijians are accorded 27 seats, Rotumans (culturally
distinct Polynesians) 1, and all others 5. In the Senate (an appointed
body with essentially review powers and the right to veto legislation),
ethnic Fijians hold 24 of the 34 seats, Rotumans 1, and the other groups
9. Other constitutional features designed to ensure ethnic Fijian
dominance include a requirement that the Prime Minister be an ethnic
Fijian and selection procedures which virtually ensure that the
President will also be an ethnic Fijian.
The Constitution also incorporates a bill of rights, providing for
freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and other universally accepted
rights and freedoms. These rights may not be altered by Parliament
except with the approval of two-thirds of the lower house. However, the
Constitution gives Parliament the authority to pass special acts to deal
with certain specified emergency situations, notwithstanding human
rights guarantees found in other sections of the Constitution. The
Attorney General's office has taken the view that any legislation
introduced under the emergency powers provision would require the
approval of two-thirds of the lower house. Critics of the Constitution
maintain that only a simple majority would be needed and that indigenous
Fijians in the lower house would be able, solely on the strength of
their own numbers, to abrogate constitutional human rights protections.
Neither interpretation has been tested.
The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC), a traditional Fijian leadership body,
selects the President. He appoints the Fijian members of the Senate on
the advice of the GCC and the provincial councils and the nine members
from other races on his own judgment. He appoints the one Rotuman
senator on the advice of the Rotuman Council. The President chooses the
Prime Minister (who, along with the Cabinet, holds most of the executive
authority) from among the ethnic Fijian members of the lower house on
the basis of ability to command majority support within that body.
Elections are held by secret ballot, with voting only by communal
constituencies. The Constitution calls for elections every 5 years, but
the Government may call an election at any time as it did for the snap
general election in February 1994 after failing to pass its 1994 budget.
That election, considered free and fair by all observers, returned
Rabuka and his party to Parliament in strength, and Rabuka was again
selected as Prime Minister.
The Constitution provides for a formal review of its provisions within 7
years of its promulgation and every 10 years thereafter. This review
process began in 1992 with the creation of an expanded subcabinet
committee led by then-Deputy Prime Minister Bole. The committee
included representatives of the opposition National Federation Party
(NFP). It formulated terms of reference, which were adopted by
Parliament in September 1993, for an independent review commission, to
include impartial foreign advisors. Parliament created its own Joint
Select Committee and an independent three-member review commission,
which began its work in June and is currently hearing submissions on
proposed changes to the Constitution. It is scheduled to present its
recommendations by mid-1996. Those recommendations will have to be
reviewed by the GCC and Parliament, which is responsible for proposing
and passing changes.
Fiji has more than a dozen political parties. Five are predominantly
Indo-Fijian. The major Indo-Fijian ones, the National Federation Party
(NFP) and the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) pledged to continue their
opposition to the Constitution in Parliament. NFP and FLP Indo-Fijian
Parliamentarians are joined on the opposition side of the legislature by
another ethnic Fijian party (the Fijian Association) and one "general"
party (the General Electors Association).
Women in both the Fijian and Indian communities have functioned
primarily in traditional roles, although some women achieve responsible
positions in public service, politics, and business. Two women sit in
Parliament; one is a cabinet minister. Women can also attain high
status in Fiji's traditional chiefly system. The President's wife is,
in her own right, one of Fiji's three highest ranking chiefs. The
former Minister for Fijian Affairs, a woman, was widely believed to be
the best candidate to become Fiji's highest ranking traditional chief.
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and
Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
There are no local groups which focus solely on human rights matters,
but the women's rights movement, the labor movement, and various
political groups (including organized political parties) are engaged in
promoting human rights. There are also several small, not very active,
foreign-based organizations which concentrate on human rights causes in
Fiji, including the Coalition for Democracy in Fiji (with offices in New
Zealand and Australia) and two United Kingdom-based groups, the
International Fiji Movement and the Movement for Democracy in Fiji.
The Government in past years inhibited certain investigations of the
political and human rights situation by external organizations,
considering them to constitute external interference in its domestic
affairs. However, in 1995 it again allowed foreign representatives to
attend and participate in the University of the South Pacific's
continuing "Consultation on the National Agenda," organized with the
assistance of Conciliation Resources, which is located in London. These
meetings roundly criticized many government policies and politicians as
well as the Constitution. The views expressed were fully and
prominently reported by the press.
Section 5 Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion, Disability,
Language, or Social Status
The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of, and provides
specific affirmative action provisions for those disadvantaged as a
result of, race, sex, place of origin, political opinion, color,
religion, or creed. Enforcement of these constitutional provisions is
attenuated by the Government's policy of using "affirmative action" to
advance ethnic Fijians, and by traditional mores as to the roles and
rights of women and children.
Women
Women in Fiji are actively addressing the problem of domestic violence.
Reliable estimates indicate that 10 percent of women have been abused in
some way. This abuse is a major focus of the women's movement. The
authorities are generally reluctant to intervene in cases of domestic
violence unless necessary to save the woman's life. The victims
generally do not press charges, and the Government has not been active
in prosecuting domestic violence.
There is a small but active women's rights movement, which has pressed
for more serious punishment for rape convictions. Courts have imposed
sentences which vary widely but are generally lenient. Women have
sought to have all rape cases heard in the High Court, where sentencing
limits are for longer periods.
Suva, the capital, and Ba, the regional center, have privately funded
women's crisis centers which offer counseling and assistance to women in
cases of rape, domestic violence, and other problems, such as child
support payments. There is an overall growing awareness of the abuse of
women's rights.
Despite constitutional provisions, the Government practiced a form of
sexual discrimination in the recognition of spousal and offspring
rights. For example, spouses of Fiji female citizens are not
automatically granted residence, whereas spouses of Fiji male citizens
are. Children of female ethnic Fijians married to nonethnic Fijians are
not entitled to registry in the document governing which persons share
in income from communal ownership of native lands, and which stipulates
who may vote as an ethnic Fijian, and who may hold ethnic Fijian-
designated seats in Parliament. Men, however, confer ethnic Fijian
status on their offspring regardless of the mother's ethnic background.
In a high-profile 1992 court challenge to the registration restrictions,
the son of a Chinese father and ethnic Fijian mother won his appeal to
be registered as an ethnic Fijian. The long-term effects of the
decision on registration restrictions and, thus, a woman's right to pass
on her ethnic status remain unclear.
In general, women in the Fijian community are more likely to rise to
prominence in their own right than are women in the Indo-Fijian
community. Women have full rights of property ownership and
inheritance, and a number have become successful entrepreneurs. Women
are generally paid less than men, a discrepancy that is especially
notable in the garment industry. Garment workers, most of whom are
female, are subject to a special minimum wage considerably lower than
that in other sectors.
Children
The Government is committed to children's rights and welfare but has
limited financial resources to carry out this commitment. In addition,
the legal system is at times inadequate to protect the rights of
children, as children's testimony is inadmissible unless corroborated by
an adult. Societal changes have undermined the traditional village and
extended family based social structures--an outgrowth of this has been a
child abuse problem. The Government in 1993 created a Child Welfare
Committee to address these problems, but it is likely to remain
reluctant to become involved directly in what are generally perceived to
be "family matters."
Corporal punishment is widely administered in schools and at home. The
Ministry of Education has guidelines for the administration of such
punishment by principals and head teachers. In 1993 one principal was
fired for overstepping these guidelines. There are credible reports
that not all abuses are reported or punished.
People with Disabilities
Legal discrimination against physically disabled persons in employment,
education, and the provision of other state
services does not exist. However, there is no legislation or mandated
provision for accessibility for the disabled. Several small voluntary
organizations promote greater attention to the needs of the disabled.
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The stated purpose of the 1987 military coups was to ensure the
political supremacy of the indigenous Fijian people and to protect their
traditional way of life and communal control of land. To this end, the
Government initiated a number of constitutional and other measures to
ensure ethnic Fijian control of the legislative and executive branches
(see Section 3). The Government also successfully increased the
proportion of ethnic Fijians and Rotumans in the public service to
50 percent or higher at all levels, but most dramatically at the senior
level: Indo-Fijians represent only 10 percent of the highest levels of
the civil service. As a result, some Indo-Fijians justifiably
complained of a "glass ceiling" whereby, despite their experience and
higher educational achievements, they are promoted only to middle
management levels of the civil service.
Control of land is a highly sensitive issue. Ethnic Fijians currently
hold, communally, about 83 percent of the land, the State holds another
8 percent, and only the remaining 9 percent is in the hands of nonethnic
Fijians. The British colonial administration instituted the present
land ownership arrangements to protect the interests of the indigenous
Fijians whose traditional beliefs, cultural values, and self-identity
are tied to the land. Most cash crop farmers are Indo-Fijians, who
lease land from the ethnic Fijian landowners through the Native Lands
Trust Board. Many Indo-Fijians, particularly farmers, believe that the
absence of secure land tenure discriminates against them. Between 1997
and 2000, most current leases will expire. A review of the current land
tenure and leasing arrangements is underway, with all indications that
the Government will make few changes to the existing system. Some
landowners are likely to decline to renew leases; the Government has
acknowledged its responsibility to help relocate displaced Indo-Fijian
farmers, although it has few resources to offer.
Indo-Fijians are subject to occasional harassment and crime based on
race, which is compounded by inadequate police protection. There have
been no credible allegations of government involvement in such
incidents, which the police have investigated, sometimes resulting in
arrests.
Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
The law protects the right of workers to form and join unions, elect
their own representatives, publicize their views on labor matters, and
determine their own policies, and the authorities respect these rights
in practice. However, the law permits restrictions to be applied in
government employment and in the interests of defense, public safety,
public order, public morality, or public health, or to protect the
rights and freedoms of other persons. An estimated 19 percent of the
labor force is unionized.
All unions must register with, but are not controlled by, the
Government. The only central labor body is the Fiji Trade Union
Congress (FTUC), which was closely associated with the opposition Fiji
Labor Party until mid-1992. It currently takes a more independent
political stance. The FTUC is free to associate internationally and
does so. The labor movement is led largely by Indo-Fijians, with ethnic
Fijians beginning to assume leadership roles. Persons with close ties
to the Government have organized rival unions primarily for ethnic
Fijians; these unions are more amenable to political cooperation with
the Government.
Following several years in which confrontational tactics have marred
labor-government relations, Parliament in April 1994 completed a 2-year
process of reforming labor legislation by amending several acts. The
changes include the elimination of a ban on a person holding multiple
union officer positions and the elimination of restrictions on seeking
international support on labor issues. Subsequently, the FTUC returned
to participation in the Government's Tripartite Economic Strategies
Committee.
Strikes are legal, except in connection with union recognition disputes.
The Government remains involved in certifying union strike balloting,
which can be an elaborate process given the distance between some of the
island locations. The Ministry of Labor had recorded six legal strikes
as of September 15. Other strikes, such as by the sugar cane truck
drivers and sugar mill workers, were declared illegal for failure to
conduct a proper strike vote. The illegal strike by the unrecognized
Fiji Mine Workers' Union at the Vatakoula gold mine, which began in
1991, continued and was at the center of a government commission of
inquiry. The commission's report had been sent to the Cabinet but not
to the Parliament by year's end.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
The law recognizes the right to organize and bargain collectively.
Employers are required to recognize a union if more than half the
employees in a workplace have joined it. Recognition is determined by
union membership rather than by an election. The Government has the
power to order recalcitrant employers to recognize unions and has done
so. Key sectors of the economy, including sugar and tourism, are
heavily organized. Following the May 1992 return to accountable
government, the Government lifted wage guidelines, and unrestricted
collective bargaining on wages is now the norm.
Wage negotiations are conducted on an individual company or enterprise
basis rather than on an industrywide basis. A government proposal to
introduce such negotiations has been opposed by employers and unions.
The law specifically prohibits antiunion discrimination. In practice,
the unions are generally successful in preventing discrimination against
workers for union activities, but the law does not mandate that
employers reinstate fired workers.
Export processing zones (EPZ's) are subject to the same law as the rest
of the country, and unions have negotiated collective bargaining
agreements with many EPZ firms.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
The Constitution specifically prohibits forced labor, and there is no
indication that it is practiced.
d. Minimum Age for Employment of Children
Children under the age of 12 may not be employed in any capacity.
"Children" (under age 15) and "Young Persons" (ages 15 to 17) may not be
employed in industry or work with machinery. Enforcement by the
Ministry of Labor and Industrial Relations is generally effective,
except for family members working on family farms or businesses and
"self-employed" young homeless youths. Education is not mandatory.
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
There is no national minimum wage. Certain sectors have minimum wages
set by the Ministry for Labor and Industrial Relations, which
effectively enforces them. Minimum wage levels will generally support a
barely adequate standard of living for a worker and family in all
sectors except for the garment industry, in which the starting hourly
wage, $0.50 (F$0.72) for learners and $0.65 (F$0.94) for others, is
based on the assumption that workers are young adults or married women
living at home and not supporting a household.
Fiji has no regulations specifying maximum hours of work for adult
males. Women are prohibited from night work in factories (other than
overtime work in the garment industry) and underground work in mines.
Certain industries, notably transportation and shipping, have violated
provisions relating to excessive hours of work. Indo-Fijians, who
generally require a cash income to survive, are more vulnerable to
pressure to work long hours than are ethnic Fijians. Many ethnic
Fijians can and do return to a noncash economy way of life in their
villages rather than work what they consider excessive hours.
Fiji has workplace safety regulations, a Workmens' Compensation Act, and
an accident compensation plan. Awards to workers injured on the job are
set by a tribunal. Government enforcement of safety standards under the
direction of the Labor Ministry suffers from a lack of trained
enforcement personnel, but unions do a reasonable job of monitoring
safety standards in organized workplaces. The International Labor
Organization's 1992 recommendations cited the need to improve working
conditions, particularly in the garment industry. The Government has
prepared legislation to address some of these shortcomings, but
parliamentary action has not been completed.
(###)
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