The failure of parents to register their children promptly has become a significant national issue. Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, expressed his ambition to achieve a complete birth registration rate in the country within the next two years. Currently, the registration rate stands at 80 percent. Mr. Turaga noted that many parents tend to delay registering their children until just before they need to enroll in primary school.
He shared these concerns during a discussion with villagers in Dreketi and highlighted the issue during Fiji Day celebrations in Labasa. Mr. Turaga pointed out that the high percentage of unregistered births, particularly among the iTaukei community, is alarming. His ministry is taking proactive measures to address this problem by conducting community outreach initiatives.
During his recent visits to Koro and Ovalau, the minister’s team worked to bridge the information gap between the government and local communities. He mentioned encountering children in rural kindergartens who did not possess birth certificates, which complicates educational planning and policy development. “If a six-year-old is not registered, it simply means he or she is not accounted for in this country,” he stated.
Additionally, Mr. Turaga emphasized the importance of registering deaths in a timely manner. He urged the iTaukei community to register death certificates with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) to ensure that the deceased are removed from records, thereby allowing the next eligible person to assume their privileges. He noted that complications arise in registering new leaders within the community until the deceased’s information is officially updated. This remains an ongoing challenge for the iTaukei ministry.