Only healthy, productive workers behaving right are eligible for the Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) Workers Scheme.

This was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Taito Waqa, yesterday.

Mr Waqa made this comment following the signing of an inter- agency understanding between the Fiji and New Zealand governments at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.

New Zealand’s national seasonal labour co-ordinator, Jerf van Beek, said they did not require much from the workers, however, they needed to be healthy.

“The requirements from the employees is physical ability to do the work and it does not always mean strength. It is physical health so that they don’t get sick, that they are fit during the duration of their work,” Mr Beek said.

“Another area that is very important is the ability to actually be focused during the duration that they are there and don’t get homesick. Back home they need to have good support systems for their families.

He said some employers prefer married people because they seemed to be more stable than unmarried people.

“Another criteria is that we prefer people who actually got a plan. People who actually have an idea of what they want to do with the money that they earn.

“So if they’ve got a plan and a focus then they are more committed to get the outcomes while they are in New Zealand. There also are commitments that are long term commitments whether it is children going to university or building a new house or setting up a business,” he said.

“Apart from that there is not much that we require but that they behave according to the employers’ code of conduct that they will need to adhere to. We prefer that there are no uses of alcohol, definitely no drugs but there can be a certain amount of recreational kava but it can only be limited.”

Mr Beek confirmed that the first 30 workers to pilot the programme were from several clans in Wayalailai in the Yasawa.

He said the selection of the Wayalailai people was possible through a sister programme between the Wayalailai Primary School and a primary school in the Hawkes Bay region back in 2003.

These 30 people are expected to get through all the required procedures.

They will be leaving for New Zealand on February 21.

Feedback: aqela.susu@fijisun.com.fj