Companies failing to pay wages are facing legal action, according to Agni Deo Singh, the Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations. The Minister’s remarks came in response to complaints from former and current employees of a security firm based in Suva.
One affected individual, 45-year-old Meli Tamani Tuidraki, lost his job after confronting the director of Pioneer Security Services, Rodney Nand, about his unpaid salary. Tuidraki expressed his frustration, noting that he was still waiting for payment that would allow him to support his family.
“I have six family members relying on me daily. I cooked the last of our food on Tuesday,” Tuidraki shared. “I told my son that was the last day he would attend school as I couldn’t afford his bus fare.”
This incident marks the second instance in which Tuidraki did not receive his salary on time. He recounted an altercation with Nand at a supermarket where he was confronted about his pay. Tuidraki claimed that despite working for Pioneer Security since July of the previous year, no contributions were made to his Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF). Following a physical encounter, Tuidraki was reportedly fired immediately.
Feeling desperate, he has since filed grievances with the Ministry of Labour and FNPF. Tuidraki indicated that borrowing money would not solve his issues, as he needs to find food for his family. As of yesterday, Nand was unavailable for comment, and attempts to reach him went unanswered.