Investment Fiji Chief Executive Kamal Chetty Kamal Chetty [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

Investment Fiji believes there is a need for significant policy reforms to attract investment from the Fijian diaspora.

Addressing key issues that hinder investment from Fijians living overseas, Chief Executive Kamal Chetty emphasized the need to streamline processes and modernize policies to facilitate easier engagement.

Chetty says certain policies need to be revised to attract diaspora investment.

“The policies need to be, for example, we need to encourage them to come back to their country, easily open their bank account, so they can transfer their money in, and they can start their project. So I’ve got people telling me in Canada, for example, they got a lot of pension, and they want to transfer that money into Fiji. But sometimes it’s difficult to also open a bank account because you don’t hold a citizenship.”

Chetty says the process involved in obtaining a Fijian passport from abroad is also a challenge while stressing the importance of aligning immigration policies with investment goals.

“There are certain policies that need to be changed. So we’re able to attract them to come to Fiji. Example is, if you’ve got a diaspora in Canada, you need to make the process easier for them to come and set up in the country, the first stage. So, for example, if you’re in Canada and you want to apply for a Fijian passport, it takes a lot of process before you can actually apply for it. So we have to make all those processes easier for diaspora.”

Chetty adds that Investment Fiji is actively involved in making policy recommendations and is participating in consultations on immigration laws.