Fiji’s ongoing labour shortage is now plaguing the tourism transport industry, forcing at least one tourism transport service operator to take a proactive approach and address the challenge head on. Fijian-owned and award-winning tourism transport services operator, TEWAKA has partnered with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for upskilling courses after losing their experienced drivers to more lucrative opportunities overseas.
“Since the re-opening of Fiji’s international borders, TEWAKA has lost 10 experienced Group 5 PSV professional drivers who resigned on good terms to take up driving contracts in New Zealand,” TEWAKA managing director James Sowane said.
“We are very proud of our professional drivers who have settled well into their new roles with their families, and we are thankful for their loyal services over the years and wish them all the success they deserve. (But) we must accept the reality of migration and focus on the positives by investing in training, looking after our staff well and providing opportunities for a new generation of up and coming PSV professional drivers,” Mr Sowane said.
He said TEWAKA’s challenge in the short to medium term is to upskill its Group 4 drivers to Group 5, which would allow them to operate the company’s mid-sized and large coaches as well as training newly-recruited PSV drivers who have joined from non-tourism industries.
“We are most grateful to the acting CEO of the Land Transport Authority, Mr Irimaia Rokosawa and his team for approving our request for LTA to conduct an in-house Defensive Driving Course that would enable the progression of our drivers licensing qualification as we work towards filling the vacuum of lost experience and skills created by the recent migration of our former team members.”
He said the reality of losing PSV drivers abroad will be ongoing and encouraged the transport sector to engage in partnership initiatives with stakeholder partners, in particular with the LTA.
“LTA has been very supportive as they understand the challenges faced by transport operators so it is upon companies to reach out to them on a partnership arrangement,” MrSowane said.
The TEWAKA DDC in-house training, certification and LTA PSV driving tests were conducted this week. Mr Sowane also thanked Classic Buses for the provision of buses for driving tests.
