It is the constant hard work, determination and contribution from all sugar cane farmers that encouraged the Sugar Cane Growers Fund (SCGF) Fund longest serving employee to stay on the job.

Parmin Kumar, the loans officer for Tavua and Rakiraki, is also a sugarcane farmer. He was acknowledged by the fund for his dedicated and distinguished service to the organisation for the last 24 years during the staff awards night in Lautoka on Monday.

The 49-year-old from Tavua has been the sole breadwinner for his family since he began work at the fund on March 15, 1997.

He was a 25-year-old lad at the time and began working there as a clerical assistant based at the Tavua District Office. It was his first ever job.

“Initially when we started, the board had agreed to have our operations start at district level and seven district officers were established to provide loan services to the growers and I was one of the pioneers to start at the Tavua District Office and since then I have seen the SCGF grow,” he said.

“When we started we only had a limited number of purposes for giving loans to the farmers, but over the years the SCGF board revised the policies and have taken on board the suggestions from the growers and other stakeholders and necessary changes were made to have other purposes included.”

He said being involved in what he enjoyed doing as a sugar cane farmer went well with his work.

Mr Kumar said he inherited his sugar cane farm from his late father.

“I am also a sugar cane grower in Tavua and it has always been exciting for me to be in the sugar industry where I already have sufficient experience because our forefathers have been attached to sugar cane farming as well,” he said.