Immigration Minister, Viliame Naupoto says they are in the process of forming a team to include the Immigration Department, the Ministry of Employment, Ministry of Health and Police to deal with the living and working conditions of the foreign workers in the country.
This follows claims by some Bangladeshi workers in Koronivia that they did not get a satisfactory remedy from the Immigration Department and the Ministry of Employment.
Naupoto says after they form a team, they can go to the places of employment and check on their living conditions, and hopefully they can prevent abuse.
He says it is important to protect our migrant workers.
The Immigration Minister says spot checks are necessary, and he agrees that there is a disconnect at the moment.
Naupoto says the Immigration Department issues the work permit and the workers enter the country, and the working and living conditions are being looked after by the Ministry of Employment and Ministry of Health.
While responding to the workers’ claims, Naupoto says the appeals that come to the Minister are appeals based on the decisions of the Immigration officers. He says one is to appeal the work permit decision and the other is the appeal to uplift the prohibited immigrant status.
Naupoto says for the case in Koronivia – he has not received any appeal as it is not related to their permit but their working and living conditions.
FICAC has commenced preliminary inquiries into allegations raised by 26 Bangladeshi workers who claim to have been subjected to mistreatment by their employer.
The affected workers are currently employed by a locally registered business and reside in Koronivia.
Yesterday afternoon, six workers formally lodged a complaint with FICAC, reporting that they, along with 20 others, have faced serious workplace injustices.
Among the grievances articulated are claims of unpaid wages, substandard living conditions, insufficient sustenance, denial of medical attention, breaches of contractual obligations, and threats of deportation issued by local staff.
FICAC says such claims, if substantiated, contravene the terms and conditions originally set forth in their employment contracts.
The complainants further alleged that prior attempts to obtain redress through appeals to the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations have not yielded any satisfactory remedy.
The Commission reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice and the eradication of corruption, abuse of authority, and exploitation in all its forms.
FICAC says a careful examination of the particulars now submitted is presently underway to ascertain whether violations of the FICAC Act or any related statutes have indeed occurred.
The Commission will refrain from issuing any further statements for now.
We are now trying to speak to the Ministry of Employment.
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