KEY POINTS:
Fiji Immigration has come under fire after one Immigration officer reportedly defaced a passport belonging to a Samoan man travelling through Nadi.
The mid thirties Samoan citizen did not want to be named for fear of repercussions to his travel plans however he spoke freely to Newsline about
his ordeal.
The husband and father of three flew Air Pacific to Nadi on Saturday, arriving in Nadi on Sunday morning, he was supposed to fly to Honolulu that same day however he could not make his flight as he was detained by Fiji authorities.
"When I arrived at Nadi airport a Fijian Immigration officer by the name of Lucy took my passport and attempted to separate the cover from the photo page," the man said.
"I wanted to tell her that she was ripping up my passport but then I thought that they would know better than me and this was her job," he said.
He told Newsline the passport was damaged in the process.
"By the time they scanned my passport it was invalid and the scanner did not recognise it," he said.
"When I left Samoa, all my papers including my passport were in order, but after it was tampered with by a Fijian immigration officer it was not recognised," he said.
That was the beginning of what the man described as a tormenting ordeal with Fiji Immigration.
"I was told that I would be detained in Fiji until further notice."
He said: "After that, I was treated like a criminal and I know I did not deserve it."
He was escorted to the Hotel Kennedy Ltd, where he was locked in a room guarded by securities 24 hours.
"I was not allowed outside, the only time I came out was when I was escorted to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner," he said.
He told Newsline that his breakfast consisted of two toasts and cocoa, and his lunch and dinner were humble servings of rice and curry.
"That's what I ate for three days, I starved," he said.
The man said he was denied phone calls or interaction with people in the three days he was detained in Fiji.
"I fell off the face off the earth when I entered Nadi airport, my family did not know where I was, my friends who were supposed to wait for me had no idea what happened to me," he said.
"I was sad, I did not know what to do, I was in another country and I did not know anyone there," he said.
According to the father of three his thoughts were with his children who were in Samoa and unaware of what had happened to their father.
"After three days as a prisoner in Fiji, I was told that I will be returning," he said.
He was escorted back to the airport and flew back to Samoa arriving on Tuesday, this week.
In an interview with Samoan Immigration, ACEO Faafouina Milford said the passport belonging to the Samoan man was valid and in order.
"As far as Samoan Immigration is concerned, when he left Samoa, his passport was valid and in order," Faafouina said.
He confirmed to Newsline that Samoan Immigration has sent a query to Fiji Immigration raising "concerns" about the detain of the Samoan passport holder.
"Fiji has been contacted and we are now waiting for an answer," he said.
The detainees passport is now with the Samoan Immigration.
"We are issuing a new passport for him," Faafouina said.
But the ordeal has yet to end for the Fijian detainee; his disrupted trip to Hawaii for a job interview has been delayed thus lessening his chances to his intended job.
But finding a ticket back to Hawaii is the new challenge for the Samoan man.
"I saved up for that ticket and Fiji Immigration used it for my deportation ticket, therefore I lost all that money," he said.
Goldstar Travel, responsible for the mans itinery confirmed to Newsline that $262.00 Fijian dollars is all that remains after the deportation ticket was issued.
"I used up my savings for that last ticket and because of Fiji Immigration I now have to scratch and save again to fund for another ticket."
The man said he resigned from his job therefore losing his income.
"That job interview was very important," he said.
The father of three said he hopes Air Pacific or the authorities concerned will assist with the payment of his ticket as the he had no control over what happened.
"I do not know where to go for my fare now," he said.
Air Pacific and Fiji Immigration could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
- NEWSLINE
