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Issue No: 580; 14 March 2001
The General Secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, Felix Anthony has been threatened by a businessman. In a letter to the editor published in the Fiji Times today, Keith Treffers, who apparently is in the business of importing food products into Fiji, condemns Anthony for supporting trade bans after the terrorist activities in Fiji last year. He also blames the FTUC for the closure of garment factories in Fiji. Treffers further writes: "Had this problem incurred (sic) in some South American country we would all know what would have happened to Anthony and his mob". The reference apparently is to assassination of the unionists, which was widespread in Latin American dictatorships during the past few decades. That Fiji has businessmen of the nature of Treffers itself speaks volumes on the type of investors which the country has attracted over the past two decades. It has become the norm for many businessmen to make their
money through massive exploitation of workers in the country. With many garment
factories closing down now, existing businesses, including many ethnic Indian
businesses, have begun to pay wages much below the established minimum wages.
Thousands of workers have had their wages reduced by upto 50%. Reports of wages
being $1/hour without any payment for the provident fund have been made. Many
factories are now deducting wages from workers for payment to the provident
fund, but workers find that no payments are being made. The regime's Labour
Department has remained compliant to the dictates of the businessmen. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
