Jone Mateiwai: It was a wonderful gesture  to include relief workers in payout

Employees of Fiji Ports Corporation Limited have praised Government for including relief workers in their $256,084.80 payout.

Announcing the bonus yesterday at Walu Bay, Suva, the Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said 206 staff would benefit from the bonus payment.

“It also includes payments of bonus to the relief workers too,” he said.

“In many companies in the commercial sector, they don’t pay bonuses to relief workers/casual workers.  But in this case even the relief workers are being paid something more than what they take home as workers as part of their wages.”

Worker Jone Mateiwai, 55, from Tamavua-i-wai, of the property division said it was a wonderful gesture on the part of Government to include casual workers in the  bonus payout.

“We have been looking forward to this day. I thank the Government for everything it has done for us,” he said.

Gerald Driver, 30, from Makoi, of the engineering department, echoed the same sentiments. He said he was grateful for the bonus.

Tevita Rokodaveta, 44,  from Caubati, of the electrical section, said the bonus had come at the right time just before Christmas. He thanked the Government for thinking about the workers and their families.

In announcing the bonus, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said: “Bonuses are paid when a company performs well. Bonuses aren’t a matter of rights. Your wages is your rights. You work, you get paid. Bonuses are something on top of that. Bonuses are when the company performs beyond expectations. The only way the company can perform beyond expectations is when everybody within the organisation works well and goes beyond expectations. That’s when a bonus is paid.

“One important point I’d like to highlight is that Fiji Ports Corporation Limited has managed to reduce a significant amount of its debts. The debt has reduced and the figures are $17.9 million to $7.2 million.

“When a company’s debts are reduced, it means the company has more ability to have more cash in hands. In particular the revenue is increasing.

“This bonus today is part and parcel of recognition of the work that has been carried out by the workers of Fiji Ports Corporation Limited.

“The board recommends it to us, Ministry of Public Enterprise, assesses it, look at the profit margins, they look at the recommendations and then we make a recommendation to the honourable Prime Minister.

“Thank you for your contribution and the board for their hard work.

“Countries which are in the maritime zone, ports are very important. You are the point of entry and you are the point of exit, in particular for goods.

“You have a very important stake as to ensure how the country will grow. At the movement, the economy is doing well, people have more money in their pockets, and they spent money also. When they spend money, they need goods and services. Lot of the goods that we here see is not made in Fiji.

“Everything comes from overseas so when people demand goods, more goods will be coming through the ports. How efficient are your ports will also determine how much we’ll pay for this pen.

“If the port is inefficient, the price of this pen will go up. So you play a very pivotal role and a very critical role and also a role that will ensure, if carried out well, we can be in a very significant place in Fiji and in the region.

“The most important thing is, the upgraded or the new port, must be modern, must be efficient and it must be able to attract more ships to Fiji.”