Companies that fail to pay their employees’ salaries are facing legal action, according to Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh. The minister made the remarks in response to complaints from current and former staff of a security firm in Suva.
Meli Tamani Tuidraki, a 45-year-old former security officer, was dismissed from his job after confronting the director of Pioneer Security Services, Rodney Nand, about his unpaid wages. Minister Singh stated that all issues regarding unpaid salaries have been forwarded to the courts for resolution.
During a visit to his family in Lami, Mr. Tuidraki expressed his frustration regarding the delay in receiving his salary, which has impacted his ability to support his family. “I have six dependents, and just this Tuesday, I was forced to cook the last meal of rice and eggs for my son, telling him it might be his last day at school due to the lack of bus fare,” he lamented.
This incident marks the second occasion that Mr. Tuidraki has experienced delays in receiving his monthly pay. He recounted how he confronted Mr. Nand at a supermarket about his wages, leading to a physical altercation that resulted in his immediate termination. The former officer has reportedly not seen any contributions made to his Fiji National Provident Fund from his employer since he began working there in July of the previous year.
Feeling desperate and emotional, Mr. Tuidraki has lodged complaints with the Ministry of Labour, the Fiji National Provident Fund, and the media regarding his situation. With no viable options for borrowing money, he mentioned that he and his family would have to resort to searching for food to survive. Efforts to contact Mr. Nand were unsuccessful as he was not available at his residence, and no responses were received to calls and messages sent to him.