British tourists push for tighter compliance on holiday package companies

Parents of Stretford boy electrocuted in Fiji win government backing for law change 

November 01, 2011 

A couple whose son died in Fiji have got a government minister’s backing in their fight for stricter legislation for adventure holiday companies. 

Gill and Steve Molnar are campaigning for greater regulation of companies that organise adventure holidays abroad following their son’s death in 2006. 

Luke Molnar, 17, from Stretford, was killed after touching a metal washing line that had come into contact with a live cable while on holiday with British conservation firm Coral Cay Conservation. 

This year, electrician Kitione Rokosuka was found guilty of manslaughter in relation to Luke’s death and jailed for 18 months in Fiji. 

In 2007 new guidelines were introduced by the British Standards Institute (BSI) which provide a national standard for companies organising potentially risky overseas adventures. 

The couple said that this was a sound document but that companies are still operating on a self regulatory basis without an independent body to certify whether companies are abiding by the document. 

They travelled to Westminster with Kate Green, MP for Stetford and Urmston, to meet Consumer Affairs minister Ed Davey. The Molnars hope their meeting with Mr Davey will result in this set of guidelines becoming law. 

Mrs Molnar said: “We felt encouraged that he gave us more time than we had expected. He listened carefully and it sounded as though he had taken on board some of what we had to say and will take a step in the right direction.” 

Mr Davey told Mr and Mrs Molnar that he would look into the legislation carefully and respond to them within three weeks. 

He said: “I was deeply saddened by the tragedy surrounding the death of Mr and Mrs Molnar’s son Luke in Fiji. It was a constructive meeting and an opportunity to hear their concerns. 

“I have offered to raise these with the British Standards Institute and other key parties to see how collectively we could raise the profile of the standard further and make it as effective as possible.”