The Samoa government has asked the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labor for a report on how some seasonal workers were allowed to leave the country for New Zealand earlier this week.
All seasonal workers who take up employment in New Zealand and Australia must be approved by Cabinet.
Government suspended the scheme in March this year while a special committee conducted a review of the employment scheme.
Minister for MCIL Leatinu’u Wayne Sooialo said the committee report has not been completed and wants to know how these workers managed to fly out without approval.
Samoa Observer reports a source saying 17 fruit pickers and freezing works employees had left the country.
The Chief Executive Officer for MCIL, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling, said he was puzzled as to how this happened.
“Every flight has to be approved by Cabinet first and there have been incidents where some seasonal workers leave before approval,” he said.
Photo: RNZ
