Companies that do not pay their employees on time are being taken to court, according to Agni Deo Singh, the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations. His comments came in response to complaints by both current and former employees of a security company based in Suva.
Meli Tamani Tuidraki, a 45-year-old former security officer, lost his job after he confronted the director of Pioneer Security Services, Rodney Nand, regarding his unpaid wages. “All matters concerning unpaid salaries that have been reported to us are now in the hands of the courts,” stated Minister Singh.
While visiting family in Lami, Tuidraki shared his frustration about waiting for payment, which he desperately needs to support his family. “I have six family members who depend on me daily. On Tuesday, I prepared the last meal of rice and eggs for my son to take to school,” Tuidraki recounted. He added that he warned his son that it may be the last day he could attend school due to a lack of bus fare. This marks the second occasion where Tuidraki has faced delayed payment of his salary.
Tuidraki described an incident where he confronted Nand at New World Supermarket about his pay. He stated, “I have been working at PSS since last July, yet there have been no contributions made to my Fiji National Provident Fund.” During their confrontation, he claims Nand assaulted him, which led to a threat of reduced wages and immediate termination.
Feeling emotionally distressed, Tuidraki has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour, as well as the FNPF. He mentioned that borrowing money is not viable at this point; instead, he has been forced to find anything he can for their next meal. Nand was unavailable for comment after Tuidraki attempted to reach him both in person and through messages.