Samoa’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour has defied a Cabinet order to suspend any further flights to take seasonal workers to New Zealand and Australia.
Samoa Observer reports the Minister for MCIL, Leatinu’u Wayne So’oialo, confirmed that Cabinet had to give “the greenlight” after MCIL went ahead and organized three seasonal worker flights for April.
A flight taking seasonal workers to Australia left last week, and last Sunday an Air New Zealand repatriation flight returned to Auckland with seasonal workers.
More than 200 passengers flew out of Samoa including seasonal workers and Samoan sailors destined to work on international vessels.
“The initial plan, was to slow down flight arrangements so we can allow the Ministry to review the process of the scheme and to address some of the issues that have surfaced in relation to the program,” Leatinu’u said.
“However, as I said before, the Ministry did not comply with this decision and went ahead and arranged more flights for April, which was the opposite of what we wanted.”
Leatinu’u confirmed that more repatriation flights from New Zealand and Australia are planned.
These would repatriate Samoan seasonal workers whose contracts have expired, as well as those whose contracts were terminated.
Chief Executive Officer for MCIL, Pulou Lyndon Chu Ling said, they are trying to limit seasonal work flights as the Ministry continues to make improvements to the processes.
When Parliament resumes this morning, members will discuss a Bill tabled last Tuesday, to regulate employment conditions for seasonal workers on RSE schemes.
