Companies that neglect to pay their employees are facing legal action, according to Agni Deo Singh, the Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations. Minister Singh addressed concerns raised by former and current employees of a security firm in Suva during a recent inquiry.
One of these employees, 45-year-old Meli Tamani Tuidraki, was terminated from his role as a security officer after confronting the director of Pioneer Security Services, Rodney Nand, about his overdue salary. Tuidraki expressed his frustration about the situation, explaining that he needed the money to support his family.
“I have six dependents who rely on me daily. Just the other day, I prepared the last meal I could afford for my son before school. I told him that would be his last day at school since I can’t even pay for his bus fare,” Tuidraki shared. This incident marks the second occurrence of delayed salary payments for him.
Tuidraki explained that he confronted Mr. Nand at a supermarket concerning his wages. Despite working with Pioneer Security Services since July of the previous year, he noted that there had been no contributions made to his Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF). During the encounter, he recounted that Nand physically attacked him, prompting a defensive reaction. Following this incident, Tuidraki was threatened with a pay cut and was let go immediately.
In a state of distress, Tuidraki has filed complaints with the Ministry of Labour and the FNPF. He stated that he sees no advantage in borrowing money and instead will have to search for resources to get by until his situation is resolved. Attempts to reach Mr. Nand for comment were unsuccessful, as he was not available at his home and did not respond to calls or messages.