The death of a young Fijian deported by Immigration New Zealand waiting for kidney transplant has angered many New Zealanders in general and Indo-Fijian in particular.
As reported in our May 1, 2014 and earlier issues, Sanil Kumar (29) was forced to return to his home country since his visa had expired. He died in his native Fiji on Monday, May 26, 2014.
Prior to his deportation on April 24, Labour MP Dr Rajen Prasad had fought a losing battle with Associate Immigration Minister Nikki Kaye to reconsider Sanil’s application for extension of stay since his family had found a kidney donor and raised the requisite funds for transplant.
Ministry advice
In refusing to intervene, Ms Kaye had said that she was satisfied with a Health Ministry advice that appropriate dialysis facility was available in Fiji, the veracity of which was questioned by Dr Prasad.
“Ms Kaye based her decision to refuse a visa on a report prepared by the New Zealand Health Ministry after consultation with an Auckland renal physician. It did not factor in the difficulties of patients getting to the two centres (in Fiji) where dialysis could be performed. It did not also address what might happen if an emergency situation arose in Sanil’s home town of Ba,” he said.
Complex decision
Ms Kaye said that immigration decisions, particularly those that involve health conditions such as in Mr Kumar’s case, are complex and involve consideration of a range of factors. “I am very conscious when considering immigration cases of the potential impact to people’s lives. That’s why I give careful and thorough consideration to a range of factors and often seek additional advice as I did from health agencies in this instance,” she said in a statement.
She said she could not speak further since it may involve breach of privacy.
Privacy issue
But Dr Prasad accused Ms Kaye of ‘hiding behind a privacy waiver to avoid answering the simplest questions over the Sanil Kumar case.’
“She at least owes that much to the memory of an impressive young man and his surviving family. The Minister also knows that Sanil cannot grant a privacy waiver to her now that he is no longer with us.
“Ms Kaye is just stonewalling. This is a tragic mess that has resulted in the death of a young man who was asked to leave New Zealand or face deportation before he could have a kidney transplant,” Dr Prasad said.
Indian Newslink, which has been reporting the plight of Sanil since October 2013, .offers its condolences to the family of Sanil Kumar in Fiji and New Zealand and prays that the departed soul to rest in peace.
Photo : Sanil Kumar
