Due to cases of abscondment, breaches related to alcohol and drug use while working overseas, 48 villages were on a blacklist and placed on a four year ban between 2016-2018.
This, according to the Standing Committee on Social Affairs report on the review of the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations 2016-2018 Annual Reports.
“In relation to the four-year ban, that was a policy decision from the minister at that time,” said Lui Mario (director, the National Employment Centre).
“It was through a Cabinet submission that was made to ban villages.
“For those listed as staying in Suva, the team has got the records of all the workers who were involved and once their names come up, if they are reapplying to go under the scheme.
“This is where the team works very closely with the PS’s Office to advise him that those workers are still on the four-year ban.
“But for the list that was submitted, majority of them have served their four-year ban.”
“That was mainly at the beginning of the scheme where there were quite a lot of issues related mostly to their pay. “But as the scheme goes along, there has been very close consultation between the ministry and the employers to ensure that issues that initially arose were resolved.”
Former permanent secretary for the ministry, Osea Cawaru said majority of the trouble-makers were from Suva.
“At the early stage, we picked mostly from settlements around here in Suva. They are the ones who actually spoiled the scheme right from the initial phase, and some are from the villages as well.
“While doing our awareness programs, we have had submissions from villages if that could be revised — the revision of the ban, so that is something we are considering now.
“Their point is somewhat valid as well, meaning, as has been raised, some are from Suva, but the ban is now imposed in their village.
“The question they are asking is, this particular person does not do village work and never turn up to the village, is it fair for you to slap that ban on the village? So we are currently reviewing that policy.”
