90 PALM workers farewelled, urged to save

Ninety workers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme were farewelled yesterday with a strong message to save their earnings and protect their families.

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations Agni Deo Singh urged the workers, who gathered at Kshatriya Hall in Suva, to budget wisely rather than send excessive remittances home.

“If you were working here and earning $200 or $250 a week, that was enough to sustain your family,” Mr Singh said.

“How much are you sending now? Some say $700. Why send $700 when $250 or $300 was enough? My advice is to save enough so your family can meet their needs, and save the rest.”

The group included 57 new participants and 33 returning workers, with women making up about one-third of the total.

Mr Singh warned workers against breaching their contracts or being misled by fellow Fijians in Australia.

“If someone tells you to break your contract and work for cash, don’t do it. Once you are caught, you will be sent back and you will never go again,” he said.

He stressed that PALM workers represented Fiji and their conduct would affect future opportunities for others.

“You are not just workers. You are representatives of Fiji. You are our ambassadors. The way you work and behave will shape how the world sees us,” Mr Singh said.

Deputy Australian High Commissioner Clair McNamara told workers they were entitled to the same conditions as Australian workers.

“You are entitled to the same conditions as an Australian worker. If you feel that is not happening, reach out to your country liaison officer and support one another,” Ms McNamara said.

Nearly 5,500 Fijians are currently working in Australia under the PALM scheme, sending home millions of dollars in remittances.