EMPLOYER’S DIGEST
Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation
May, 2014
Volume 1, Issue 1
FIJI COMMERCE & EMPLOYERS FEDERATION
The Executive View
VISION
To Be Fiji’s
Premier
employers’
representative
promoting
good
governance
and leadership,
excellence and
innovation that
shapes and
enhances the
business
environment.
Dear Members & Friends,
Thank you for taking the time to read our Monthly New Letter, the Employer Digest.
The Employer Digest is aimed towards keeping you informed on activities and events
that the Federation has been involved in. With over 500 members representing some
80,000 workers, we can confidently say that FCEF today clearly represents the voice
of business in Fiji.
FCEF has started 2014 positively with increased action towards the proposed Food
labeling and Decree that was proposed to come into effect from the 1 st of April, we
are happy to inform members that after consultation with the Health Ministry and The
Ministry of Trade and Industry we have been informed that the proposed decree will
be withheld and that consultation with the Food Industry will continue. We thank both
the Ministry of Health and Trade & Industry for allowing all parties more time for
discussion.
The Federation in collaboration with the Fiji Export Council will launch the first ever
Cost of Doing Business Survey in May. The survey captures the statutory costs which
include fees and licensees , utilities, transportation and associated costs for business
and compare these costs within the Melanesian Group of countries namely Papua
New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon. The survey is our first attempt of capturing
such data and compiling in a easy to read format that we hope will assist businesses.
It is our aim to continue this activity so that we continue to capture changes that may
occur to the Cost of Doing Business.
On the International front with particular reference to the recent ILO Governing Body
Meeting concerning FIJI held in March we are happy report the outcome in that the
ILO has agreed to send a contact mission to Fiji in November after the September
National Elections.
The Federation’s newest Council the Woman Entrepreneurs and Business Council
has received tremendous support both locally and through ILO’s Bureau for Employer
Activities in collaboration with The Norway Partnership. The recent Trade Pasifika
Trade show was testament to the business savvy of our women entrepreneurs; the
Federation is pleased to be able to provide the necessary platform for business woman
in Fiji.
With that the federation wishes you all a pleasant read through and look forward to
serving you better in the months ahead.
~Vinaka~
Page 2
EMPLOYER’S DIGEST
Pacific Business Mentoring
Mentoring and Training
Calendar
For those of you interested in
joining the programme, note the
dates below for the next
scheduled intakes and trips for
the Suva and west regions.
Week
16th June
21st July
8th Sept.
13th Oct.
24th Nov.
Mentoring/Training
Nadi Mentoring
Trip (M8)
Suva Training
(T11)
Nadi Training
(T11)
Suva Mentoring
(M9)
Nadi Mentoring
(M9)
Please note the following
criteria’s are to be met when
registering for the programme ,
that you have to be:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
An existing business
that has been operating
for a minimum of 6
months
Have more than one
employee other than the
owner
Owner receives primary
income for the
business
Business provides
significant employment
opportunities
Business fits with one
of the following
priority sectors;
- Tourism
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Marine
- Manufacturing
- Service
Please contact the secretariat for
more information or visit
www.businessmentorspacific.org.
nz
January 27th marked the start
of the Business Mentoring 2014
year. The 10th Training session
for its Suva clients got off to a
vibrant start, and led to a more
unique ending, much different
from all other trainings that
have been held since its
inception in 2012.
The PBMP or Pacific Business
Mentoring Programme, is a
NZAID funded initiative. Mainly
focused around mentoring and
providing business training to
Business owners mainly in the
Small Micro enterprises (SME)
sector but this has not stopped
larger
businesses
from
registering
with
the
programme.
The Mentoring Programme has
been in Fiji for the past two
years and is operational in the
Pacific as well. Clients once
successful in their application,
go through the mentoring
programme which is followed
up by the training programme
The mentoring is conducted by
specially selected mentors from
different
backgrounds
in
business who can deal and
associate with clients,
Specifically in regards to the
issues they face in their
different business.
The Suva training was the 10th
of its kind for the region and
had the largest number of
participants attending the week
long training.
Facilitated by
Gill Garchow and Robyn Putt,
the
training
took
clients
through the different areas of
business
and
ways
of
improving and building their
capacity as business owners to
making their businesses more
successful.
The Suva T10 had over 40
participants
from
various
business backgrounds and was
also the 1st of it’s kind to have
a Networking Cocktail to allow
mentoring clients to know their
fellow
participants, market
their businesses and build a
larger network to help increase
their market base and create a
network that would allow those
involved in the programme to
help one another out.
The mentoring programme has
over 200 clients throughout Fiji
and is still out looking to help
more businesses become more
successful. The Programme is
FREE and there are no costs to
MENTORING and TRAINING
programmes.
The Calendar for the training
and Mentoring are available
with FCEF so if you are
interested or know someone
who could benefit from the
programme feel free to contact
us and let us know. Business
Mentors is here to help you
grow bigger and better.
If you have
please contact:
any
queries
FCEF Programme Officer
Suka Salusalu
Phone: 9997918
Email: training @fcef.com.fj
Women Entrepreneurs & Business Council
The Women Entrepreneurs &
Business Council (WEBC) has
brought life to the needs of
Women Entrepreneurs in the
country. The WEB Council was
officially launched on the 14th
of September at the Fiji
Commerce
&
Employers
Federation’s
Top
Executive
Conference (TOPEX), which was
held at the Intercontinental
Golf Resort & Spa.
His Excellency the President,
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau officially
launched the Council and its
official logo at the final dinner
of the TOPEX Conference. The
Council
becomes
the
Federations 7th Council and is
the only Council to have its
own logo, giving insight into
the level of importance the
federation has put into the
input of women entrepreneurs
in the country. The Federation
has received
tremendous support from the
ILO’s Bureau for Employers
Activities
(ACTEMP),
US
Embassy, HFC, Westpac and
many other organizations in
trying to establish and firm
front for women in business.
WEBC LAUNCH
The Council is focused on
improving and establishing a
united front for women in
business to provide them with
a voice in the private sector
and also to provide
training
to
better
their
individual capacity in becoming
better entrepreneurs.
The
Council
has
had
empowerment talks sponsored
by the US Embassy, gone
through Basic Computer Skills
training, Marketing & Quality
Assurance Training. These are
some of initiatives that FCEF
wants for the WEBC; and for the
Council to have a in the world
of doing business, especially
those in the informal sector.
The council is open to all
women and the federation
encourages you Women in
business to contact WEBC Coordinator Suka Salusalu to join
or enquire of what the WEBC
can provide and help you with.
FCEF Programme Officer
Suka Salusalu
Phone: 9997918
Email: training @fcef.com.fj
Page 3
EMPLOYER’S DIGEST
LEGAL TRIBUNAL OUTLAWS CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST EMPLOYERS
FCEF PUBLICATIONS
Please note the following
publications that members can
have access to through the
federation:
1. Employers’ Guide to Gender
Equality.
Creating Gender Responsive
Workplaces for women and men
in Fiji.
2. An Employers’ Guide for
Eliminating Child Labour
Guide for employers to combat
child labour
3. An Employers Guide For
Collective Bargaining
A practical tool for employers
and human resources personnel
in collective bargaining.
4. HIV in the World of Work
Training Package and a practical
tool for employers, welfare
officers, OHS and human
resources personnel to use at the
workplace to inform, educate,
and influence behavior of
employees.
5. Cost of Doing Business
A survey of selected costs across
MSG countries & Fiji
Manufacturing Sector.
Please contact the secretariat if
you are interested in any of the
publications listed above.
~Vinaka~
IN ERT Criminal case No. 8 of
2013
at
the
Employment
Relations Tribunal on Monday
3rd February, 2014, the Legal
Tribunal, Ms. J Rama dismissed
the charges against Angela’s
Curry Kitchen brought by the
Labour Officer, on behalf of a
former employee.
The
Tribunal
ruled
that
proceedings for offence against
the Promulgation may be
instituted within the period of
12 months after the act or
omission alleged to constitute
the said offence was committed.
The Legal Tribunal relied on
section 262 of the Employment
Relations Promulgation 2007.
The Legal Tribunal also ruled
that section 214 which the
Labour Officer depended on,
only applied to civil cases. An
action under section 214 may
be commenced within 6 years
after the day on which the
money (wage) became due and
payable.
The
alleged
offence
was
purportedly committed between
January and June 2011 and the
charges were drawn in 2013.
Representing the Employer in
this matter was
the Fiji
Commerce
&
Employers
Federation Industrial Relations
Consultant, Mr. Noel Tofinga.
The Labour Officer representing
the Worker was Mr. W Tokalau.
FCEF IR Consultant Mr. Noel
Tofinga.
The impact of this case is that
all other criminal cases in the
Tribunal for which charges were
drawn more than 12 months
from whence the alleged offence
was committed shall be struck
out.
The Ministry of Labour has 28
days from the date of the
decision to appeal this ruling.
The Fiji Commerce & Employers
Federation is devoted to helping
it’s members resolve and be
aware
of
legislations
that
surround employment matters.
The
development
of
its
Industrial relations department
is centrally focused around
achieving this goal. The expert
knowledge of Mr. Noel Tofinga
whose been involved in the
Industrial Relations for a vast
number
of
years,
offers
members with a helpline to
answer queries on issues they
face in regards to employment
matters.
If you have any IR issues feel
free to contact:
Mr. Noel Tofinga
Mobile: 9994995
Email: [email protected].
“The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the
multitude.”
- Arnold Glasow
PROPOSED NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGES DECREASED TO $2.00
IN a press statement released to
the media on Thursday, 30th
February, 2014, the Minister for
Labour, Mr. Jone Usamate
announced that the proposed
$2.32 Minimum Wages by Dr.
Mahendra Reddy has been
decreased to $2.00 by Cabinet
as Fiji’s first ever National
Minimum Wage.
The Federation’s members are
poised to facilitate this decision
with mixed emotions.
Some have said that it would
not affect their business that
much as they are already paying
more
than
the
proposed
minimum rate. Others are
saying that their businesses
may be adversely affected if
they are forced to increase
their workers wage rates.
The Federations’ position is that
$2.00 is better than $2.32.
Members affected the most are
those in the manufacturing
industries.
The Federation also welcomes
this new scientific and research
based approach for setting
wages rather than the old style
where figures were grasped
from the sky at the cost of
employers.
Its concerns however lies in the
fact that the decision was made
arbitrarily at Cabinet level when
the proposed way forward was
to have had this matter resolved
in the tripartite Wages Forum.
Drop from $2.32 to $2.00
Page 4
EMPLOYER’S DIGEST
FCEF at Trade Pasifika
ON THE MOVE
W&G setting up CEO’s Office
W&G Boys making a donation
The PIPSO - Trade Pasifika
2014 was held at the
Vodafone Arena from the
2nd to the 4th of April. The
event which is normally
held every 2 years was last
held at the Sofitel Fiji
Resort & Spa in 2012.
FCEF being the National
Private Sector Organization
for Fiji was allocated 2
booths
at
the
Trade
Pasifika. Because FCEF was
profiling its newest Council,
Women Entrepreneurs &
Business
Council,
the
allocated booths for FCEF
were given to them to
display
their
products/
services and even made
sales.
The
exhibitors
were
encouraged to add stories
to their products. This
made a positive impact on
their products. The booth
was the most colourful
booth and had a record
number of visitors/ buyers
passing through.
There were side events
organized during the Trade
Show which were also of
benefit to the Women
Entrepreneurs.
The side
events were aligned to this
year’s theme of “Exporting
for Growth – It’s everyone’s
business.
These included
Thought
Leadership
lunches, Workshops and
ANZ Breakout sessions on
Access to Finance.
For
women who were looking at
exporting in the not too
distant future, the Trade
Pasifika was a platform
of learning for them. Most
of the exhibitors were able
to secure orders from their
regional counterparts and
also from other local and
overseas visiting buyers.
WEBC
Member,
Vitila
Vuniwaqa, who specializes
in Arbargine Jams (made
out of egg plants), said the
Trade Show was an eyeopener for her and she
couldn’t believe her product
made record sales.
With the next Trade Pasifika
scheduled for 2016 in PNG,
FCEF through the WEBC
plans to make a stronger
representation and ensures
it gets bigger and better.
“The only place SUCCESS comes before WORK is in the Dictionary”
~Vince Lombardi~
The Federation Moves
Noel muscling his corner into shape
Besh settling in to her station
As of 1st April the federation began operating from its new location at 79 Ratu Cakobau Road, at
the old FASNOC office and what many famously remember as the YELLOW HOUSE.
The move marks the beginning of a new era as the federation farewells the building to which it
has called home for almost over 50 years at 42 Gorrie Street.
Lanieta supervising everything.
79 Ratu Cakobau Road is to be the Federation’s home for the next 18 months as 42 Gorrie Street
gets a facelift, in which construction of the Federation’s new building gets underway.
So until then 79 Ratu Cakobau Road or the Old YELLOW House is where you will find us.
FIJI COMMERCE AND EMPLOYERS FEDERATION
79 Ratu Cakobau Road, Suva.
Ph: 331 3188 Fax: 330 2183 Email: [email protected]
Visit us: www.fcef.com.fj