Racist programs are unconstitutional

Racist programs are unconstitutional

Issue No: 608 21 March 2001

The state has acknowledged that the racist programs which the Qarase regime has designed is unlawful.

According to media reports, the government lawyers have informed the Qarase pack that the Blueprint for Ethnic Fijian Advancement is contrary to the Constitution.

The media also reports that the directive given by the regime to the Land Transport Authority to grant taxi permits only to ethnic Fijians is also unlawful.

The directive has, since the Court of Appeal decision, not been followed. But doubt have been expressed over the reason for the directive not being followed.

Radio Fiji reports that there were suggestions that there was a lack of interest from ethnic Fijians in acquiring taxi permits. While this was denied by the Authority, those in the taxi business state that they have not seen much interest from new ethnic Fijians in acquiring taxi permits.

One large taxi operator claimed that only certain ethnic Fijians have been acquiring new permits and then renting them out to non-ethnic Fijians. Renting of taxi-permits is illegal, but the taxi operator estimates that over two-third of ethnic Fijians with taxi permits are either not operating or have rented their permits to others.

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