The Fiji-Australia Business Council said the removal of Rex Gardner from the country is a major setback in trying to create a climate of investor confidence at a time of uncertainty.
“We are terribly saddened by the news of this happening,” FABC president Wylie Clarke said. “It is important to emphasize that this is a major setback on creating a climate of investor confidence in this time of economic hardship. This happening again is a serious setback. This cannot be the interim government’s reaction to people it does not approve of.”
Fiji Law Society president Dorsami Naidu said the action by the interim government was a sad day for democracy in Fiji.
He said if a person was on a work permit in the country and had breached his work permit, there were processes to be followed in court.
“But this is a draconian way of doing things where the order is given in the evening when the courts are closed,” Naidu said.
Fiji Sun editor-in-chief Samisoni Kakaivalu said it was another sad day for the media industry in Fiji.
Citizens Constitutional Forum CEO Reverend Akuila Yabaki was surprised and shocked at the news.
Fiji Media Council chairman Daryl Tarte was unaware of the order and declined to comment until he had more information.
Gardner was ordered out of the country by the interim government and declared an illegal immigrant, Fiji Times reports.
His removal comes less than nine months after his predecessor Evan Hannah was deported under the same immigration laws.
Russell Hunter was also deported on Feb. 25 last year while employed as the publisher of the Fiji Sun newspaper.
Gardner was handed the removal order at his office on Tuesday which was signed on Friday by the permanent secretary for defense, national security and immigration, Peniame Naqasima.
The order was served on Gardner by senior immigration officer Joe Ravatudei, who also handed Hannah his removal order on May 1 last year.
Gardner, whose work permit expires next month, was allowed to work in Fiji under Section 9(2) c of the Immigration Act of 2003.
On Tuesday, he was classified as a prohibited immigrant under section 13(2) g of the same law.
“They paid a visit tonight and they told me I had the marching orders and I’m doing it, I’m off, quite peacefully without any fuss,” said Gardner. “I was actually going back to Australia on Saturday and I told the Immigration people I was quite happy to go back. But they said, ‘no, tomorrow.’ ”
Gardner said he found it beyond reasonable limits if his removal order was based on a Fiji Times court case last week.
On Thursday last week, Fiji Times Ltd. was fined $100,000 for contempt of court.
Gardner was discharged but put on a good behavior bond for 12 months.
Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika was sentenced to three months in jail suspended for two years.
“The charges against me were dismissed,” Gardner said.
“I’m leaving now. It has been a wonderful experience and nice knowing everybody. I got a piece of reading paper that says leave the country, and that’s what I’m doing I’m leaving the country,” he said.
Gardner said he was given “an obscure clause of an Act” when he asked for the reason for his removal.
