TWO excavator operators in the Agriculture Ministry serving the Tailevu Province have migrated overseas.
This was highlighted by senior agriculture officer Tepola Seniloli during a talanoa session with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama during the Tailevu Provincial Council meeting at Ucunivanua Village in Verata on Thursday.
She was responding to questions by villagers who wanted to know if services were available for Tailevu, Rewa and Naitasiri.
They claim their requests had landed on deaf ears.
Mrs Seniloli said there were two excavator operators who resigned and migrated overseas.
“We have advertised these positions in the newspapers but there is hardly any interest and we are still waiting for applications,” she said.
“There were two operators managing four excavators looking after Rewa, Naitasiri and Tailevu provinces. We charge $28 an hour.
“The only advise we give farmers who want help is we are focusing on rice farming right now because it’s only done from November to December.”
Mr Bainimarama then asked those who were unemployed and had licences to operate an excavator to hand in their expression of interests to the ministry.
Mrs Seniloli said they were in need of four excavator operators.
“We have advertised these posts for the second time now because the number of farmers requesting this service is not much.”
