Page 7 - IB JAN 2017

have been interviewed for a survey on
sexually-transmitted illnesses. Seasonal workers
Health expert. Dr Seini Kupu, is the WHAT happens next to the recruiting
most shocked – mostly by the fact that agency which continues to take Pacific
so many people were surveyed and that workers to Australia and short-change Front Page Limited
117 Amy Street
they included university students and them on wages? PO Box 12718, Suva, Fiji Islands.
well-paid professionals. Investigations have found 26 ni- Tel: +679 330 3108. Fax: +679 330 1423.
Kupu initially told the researcher there Vanuatu workers were forced to work Email: advertising@islandsbusiness.com
would be few sources of information for 36 days straight in Coffs Harbour and
the survey, given that there were “not received illegally low rates of pay. Circulation & Distribution
Sara Vafoou
many homosexuals or prostitutes in the The South Pacific employees, many of svafoou@islandsbusiness.com
kingdom”. whom spoke little English, were short- subs@islandsbusiness.com
Even more worrying for officials is that changed penalty rates and denied ap-
Accounts
some of the respondents in both catego- propriate rest breaks last year. accounts@islandsbusiness.com
ries are – wait for it – married. Work stopped only when rain inter-
rupted harvesting. Regional magazine sales agents
Apparently the workers were under- Pacific Cosmos – 89 Brisbane Street,
paid almost $15,000. One worker was Oxley Park, NSW, Australia
underpaid $770. Pacifi c Supplies – Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Workers from around the Pacific were Yap Cooperative Association – Colonia, YAP,
Federated States of Micronesia
taken to Australia under the federally Paper Power Bookshop – Town Council Bldg,
run 416 visa scheme, also known as Main Street, Nadi, Fiji
the Seasonal Worker Program, which Suva Bookshop – Downtown Boulevard, Suva, Fiji
has been dogged by repeated scandals Fatiaki Enterprises Limited – Vakabalea St,
of exploitation and dodgy labour-hire Lautoka, Fiji
practices. Sanatan Bookshop - Nasinu, Tebara Shopping
t Fijian workers who have made similar Complex
complaints have been castigated by their Nausori Airport Bookshop – Nausori
Games site home government. Ba Book Centre – Ba (opposite Ba Bus Station, Fiji
BACK to the Solomons where squatters Lami Pharmacy – Main Street, Lami
Kays Kona Shop – Dolphin Plaza, Suva, Fiji
have forced the government to seek USP Bookcentre – USP, Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji
an alternative site for the 2023 Pacific Samabula Drugstore – Samabula, Suva, Fiji
Games. Kundan Singh Supermarket – Tamavua, Suva, Fiji
Taiwan has agreed to pay for the $US- MH Superfresh – Tamavua, Suva, Fiji
D28million facility most likely to be built Methodist Bookstore – Stewart Street, Suva, Fiji
at a site previously used for the 11th Textbook Wholesalers – BSP Centre Suva, Fiji
Festival of Pacific Arts in 2012. MHCC – Suva, Fiji
Negotiations have started with the 786 Supermarket – Toorak ,Suva, Fiji
Solomon Islands National University and TOTAL Hibiscus – Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji
the King George VI Secondary School for t Tappoo outlets – Fijiwide
the use of land. Kundan Singh Supermarket – Arts Village,
The original site proposed for the sta- Diplomatic work Pacific Harbour, Fiji
Gulabdas & Sons – Beach Road, Levuka, Fiji
dium at Burns Creek, near the eastern THE region’s highest paid diplomat is Hachette Pacifique – Papeete, French Polynesia
boundary of Honiara, was abandoned home with a medical condition which Kiribati Newstar – Bairiki, Kiribati
due to difficulties evicting squatters from forced him to leave his mission. One Stop Stores – Bairiki, Kiribati
the land. After years away it has surfaced that Robert Reimers Enterprises – Majuro, Marshall Islands
the musician-turned diplomat spent most Pacific & Occidental – Yaren, Nauru
of his days dusting the shelves of the South Seas Traders – Alofi, Niue
mission office and doing little else. Nouvelle Messageries Caledoniennes de Presse
But nobody would blow the whistle, – Noumea, New Caledonia
fearful that the diplomat would exact his Wewak Christian Bookshop – Wewak, PNG
revenge through his close personal links Boroko Foodworld – Boroko, PNG
with the head of the Foreign Service. UPNG Bookshop – Waigani, PNG
Also under question are the diplomat’s Wesley Bookshop – Apia, Samoa
phone bills, excessive travel and other Panatina Chemist Ltd – Honiara, Solomon Islands
expenses – all taken care of by the mis- Officeworks Ltd – Honiara, Solomon Islands
sion – while on the Far Eastern posting. National Stationery Supplies – Honiara,
Solomon Islands
t Friendly Islands Bookshop – Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Tuvalu Air Travel, Shipping – Funafuti, Tuvalu
Like us on facebook Trade and Consultancies – Funafuti, Tuvalu
https://www.facebook.com/pages/islands-business/ Stop Press – Port Vila, Vanuatu
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Islands Business, October 2016 7