The Bank of New South Wales, Suva branch made history for commercial banks in 1960 when it appointed for the first time a Fijian as a bank clerk, The Fiji Times reported on Thursday, December 8, 1960.
Then relieving manager of the bank, Mr G R Fookes said the move was part of a scheme which was planned to replace a majority of overseas staff members with local people.
The Fijian was Sailosi Vodonaivalu Taka, who was 18 years of age at the time and hailed from the village of Namuka in Tailevu. He had completed his education the same year at Queen Victoria School in Matavatucou.
In order to maintain the standard of service and efficiency at the bank, Mr Fookes said it was necessary for a high standard to be set for applicants.
“The bank prefers applicants to be 17 or 18 years of age, but is prepared to consider applications from those up to 20 years of age.”
The minimum educational qualifications set by the bank back then was for girls to attain a School Certificate or Senior Cambridge A and for boys to attain a Senior Cambridge A or better.
Sailosi had attended Nakelo District School from 1947 to 1951, Rakiraki District School from 1951 to 1953, RKS in Lodoni from 1954 to 1956 and QVS from 1956 to 1960.
When asked on why he wanted to become a bank clerk, he said: “I thought I would do something different. It is time that Fijians took some part in commercial work.”
