Companies that neglect to pay their employees are being taken to court, according to Agni Deo Singh, the Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations.
Minister Singh addressed queries concerning complaints from current and former workers of a security firm in Suva during a recent event. One such employee, Meli Tamani Tuidraki, 45, a former security officer, lost his job after confronting the director of Pioneer Security Services, Rodney Nand, about his unpaid wages.
“Every issue regarding unpaid salaries that has been reported to us has been escalated to the courts,” stated Mr. Singh.
Speaking from his family home in Lami, Mr. Tuidraki expressed his frustration over the delays in payment that hinder his ability to support his household. “I have six family members who rely on me daily. On Tuesday, I made our last meal of rice and eggs for my son to take to school,” he shared. “I even told him that Tuesday would be his last day at school as I couldn’t afford bus fare.”
This was not the first time Mr. Tuidraki faced delayed payments; it was the second instance of his monthly salary being late. “On Monday, I confronted Mr. Nand at New World Supermarket in Raiwaqa regarding my pay,” he recalled. “I have been employed at Pioneer Security Services since July of last year, and yet no contributions have been made to my Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF). When I brought this up, he slapped my hat off, and in self-defense, I retaliated. He then threatened to reduce my pay and terminated my employment immediately.”
Feeling distressed and hopeless, Mr. Tuidraki reported his grievances to the Ministry of Labour, the FNPF, and the media. He mentioned that borrowing money isn’t a viable option, and he might have to search for scraps to feed his family. Mr. Nand was unavailable for comment, as he did not answer calls or messages.