Diplomatic passport not valid

SUVA – Fiji’s Immigration Director Nemani Vuniwaqa says diplomatic passports are only used by those who hold high positions in government.

He made the comment after former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his wife were stopped at Nadi airport from travelling to Australia.

Chaudhry said he was told his diplomatic passport – issued to all former Prime Ministers – was no longer valid on instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vuniwaqa says Chaudhry was issued a diplomatic passport in 2007 when he was appointed Minister for Finance. But he said that when Chaudhry’s term was over he should have surrendered his diplomatic passport and he should have applied for the ordinary blue passport like any normal citizen of Fiji. Vuniwaqa has clarified that there are no travel restrictions for Chaudhry.

Meanwhile, Chaudhry says he informed the Immigration and Foreign Affairs offices of his plan to travel and he was given the clearance.