The Labour Department has penalised poultry company Ram Sami & Sons and issued it with a prohibition order after workers complained of being transported daily in an enclosed truck also used for transporting live chickens and farm waste.
The action came after a Fiji Times investigation into worker complaints against the company.
On Friday morning, The Fiji Times team arrived at Makoi, Nasinu to find workers of Ram Sami getting into the tray of the truck which had a stench and enclosed with tarpaulin.
A labourer, who spoke on condition of anonymity said since last year, they have used the same truck that has been used to carry chickens, manure, chicken feed and other farming material.
The staff said that they were told by management that the labour transport they usually used was at the garage for repair and they would be using the truck for the time being.
“The seven-tonne truck is fully enclosed with two points of entry. The back of the trailer has a door and there is another door on its left side which we use as exit.”
Other workers shared similar sentiments saying the trailer of the truck has no windows and the stench was similar to chicken waste.
“There are no benches or seats so the labourers either sit on the poultry carrier crates, on the floor or stand throughout the journey to the farm in Tovata,” another worker said.
“The condition is unbearable and worse during rainy days but we have been exposed to that.”
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh confirmed that he sent a team after being informed.
Mr Singh said the company has been fined $5000 and thanked The Fiji Times for bringing the issue to light.
“Our staff have gone and stopped the truck and given a prohibition order, which means that they’re not allowed to use this for that purpose anymore,” he said.
“We are also going to bring to the attention of LTA and the traffic police to ensure that they are able to monitor and stop any repeat of such.
“It’s illegal and unsafe practice by a multimillion-dollar company.”
Mr Singh said workers were elated when told that the prohibition order has been issued on the truck.
Fiji Police Force director Traffic, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mitieli Divuana said their traffic officers have booked the Ram Sami truck a number of times for this very reason.
He said they would continue to enforce the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Act and will “seek LTA’s intervention as they continue to breach the law”.
Ram Sami operations manager Ram Anjaysinha told The Fiji Times that he was not aware of the condition of the truck that the labourers used to travel to the job site.
He said all he knew was that the normal labour truck was at the garage for repairs because of mechanical issues but he had no knowledge of the length of time it’s been in the garage.
“We normally don’t allow staff to travel in such vehicles. We’ve got a special labour trip so, unfortunately, the truck was broken down, so we have to use this truck.”
Mr Anjaysinha said they were now arranging a suitable transport for the staff members.
