Prof. Prasad has targetted us since the 2018 elections – Towler

Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry Council President Michael Towler says National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad has targetted them since the 2018 elections because of their response to his NFP’s manifesto that promoted a National Minimum Wage of $5 per hour.

Towler says this policy if implemented would have destroyed the garment industry in Fiji and they are facing the same situation again now if the National Minimum Wage prices their products out of the international market they compete in.

In a statement, Professor Prasad had earlier said that in the middle of the current wage review, the textile, clothing and footwear industry are now vigorously opposed to even a modest rise.

He says this cabal of businessmen who opposed their proposal in 2018 when the so called Bainimarama Boom was in its 9th year, are now in a panic mode.

Prasad had also asked if the Minister for Economy can visit the workplaces of the textile clothing and footwear industry and tell the workers to support his review, just as he did in 2018 telling workers not to endorse NFP’s proposal because it could lead to loss of their employment.

While responding to Prasad’s statement, Towler says they are not a political organisation and will work with whoever is the government of the day. He says they have worked with the current government for the past 8 years on matters that are of concern to the garment industry and the National Minimum Wage is one of those concerns which determines whether their industry will be able to survive in Fiji in the future.

Towler says they employ 7,000 workers and 20,000 Fijians depend on the industry for their livelihoods.

He says they have already seen the closure of two prominent garment factories in Fiji in the past 18 months with the loss of 500 jobs.

Towler says in June 2021 when they were staring into the COVID abyss of oblivion, their industry was saved by the intervention of the Prime Minister to get their factories reopened and they survived the pandemic relatively unscathed.

He adds they are not opposed to a review of the National Minimum Wage rate and they have made a submission to the Government on the issue.

Towler says they were a little shocked that the rates of $3.45 to $3.65 were being promoted in the media prior to the review being finalised and their voices being heard on this very important subject.

He says they believe that the National Minimum Wage rate is a very complex issue and that there are many industrial relations factors to consider when this issue is being discussed rather than just wage rates.

Towler says we live in a vibrant democracy and they welcome debate on this issue and they will not resile from defending their industry, their workers and their right to work in the garment industry in Fiji.