The Ministry of Sugar Industry has issued a strong rebuttal to recent political claims, insisting that the temporary layoff of seasonal workers at the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s (FSC) Rarawai Ba Mill is solely due to a recent fire.
The Ministry emphasised that no permanent jobs have been affected and that seasonal workers will be recalled once crushing resumes.
“Contrary to certain political statements, there has been no intention to lay off seasonal workers outside the usual seasonal cycle,” the Ministry declared.
“The current layoff is a direct consequence of the recent fire incident at the Rarawai Mill, which has temporarily disrupted operations. Workers will be re-engaged once the crushing season resumes.”
The Ministry clarified that seasonal workers are engaged only during the crushing period and released at its conclusion—a standard practice across all three mills.
“The terms of their contracts clearly outline this seasonal employment structure,” it noted.
The Ministry praised FSC for retaining seasonal workers over a month longer than required, despite being within rights to invoke a seven-day stand-down clause.
“FSC has demonstrated good faith by keeping workers engaged in essential tasks such as mill cleaning and maintenance,” the statement read.
“All laid-off seasonal workers have been paid their leave entitlements to support them during this period.”
“The arrangements for temporary stand-downs have been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon with the relevant unions, who have shown strong support,” the Ministry said.
It firmly rejected political exploitation of the issue.
“It is unfortunate that some individuals have chosen to make public statements without consulting the workers directly or fully understanding the operational challenges. This issue should not be used for political gain.”
The Rarawai fire, which damaged key infrastructure, has halted crushing indefinitely. Repairs are underway, with a restart timeline pending technical assessment.
