A TOTAL of 653 employees of the Fiji Pine Group of Companies have a reason to smile this festive season.
Each of them will receive $1000 each as part of a $653,000 Christmas bonus payout package announced by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday.
“Today’s (yesterday’s) payment breaks down into $1000 Christmas bonuses each for the hardworking staff members at Fiji Pine and every cent of which is well-deserved,” Mr Bainimarama said at the company’s headquarters at Drasa, Lautoka yesterday.
“While I’m sure that’s all exciting to hear, it should also make the men and women in this room feel very proud; for record bonuses only come from record results, and those results would not have been possible without each of you.
“It is your work, day in and day out, that has made this a great year for the company. And you’ve helped lead this company through difficult times to reach unprecedented heights.”
The Prime Minister highlighted that in 2010, the Fiji Pine Group was facing a catastrophe — there were no payments to shareholders, no profits and there were no bonus payments during the holidays.
Government, he noted, refused to resign the industry to failure.
He added that the industry achieved record profits in the past six years, repaid more than $60 million in loans and built a foundation for sustained growth — investing more than $70m in strategic upgrades.
Executive chairperson of the Fiji Pine Group of companies Faiz Khan said irrespective of the employees position, everyone had a decent amount of money to enjoy with their family members this Christmas.
