Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva will hold official talks with Recognised Seasonal Employers in Kerikeri and Hasting after a Tongan employee fled at Auckland International airport.

Samuela Manuofetoa arrived in New Zealand early this month to work at Mr Apple, New Zealand’s largest apple supplier.

Manuofetoa fled from the airport without going to his employer.

Mr Apple has turned to Samoa for a replacement of Manuofetoa.

This has been a big concern for the Prime Minister, who is worried that Mr Apple might take away the employment opportunity from Tonga and gave it to the Samoans.

The Prime Minister will arrive in New Zealand on Saturday on a five-day trip.

He will first meet with Mr. Apple, which has employed more than 400 Tongan employees.

The company has employed hundreds of Tongans on RSE contracts over the years.

However, in the past it has also said it wants more Samoans.

Mr Apple CEO Andrew Van Workum was quoted in 2014 as saying its Samoan workers had been a boon for the business.

The company is currently advertising for seasonal workers.

According to Tongan RSE Coordinator in New Zealand,  Sefita Hao’uli, Tongans have the worst record of any group of Pacific Islands employees for absconding in New Zealand and overstaying their visas.

A total of 16 Tongan employees including Manuofetoa are still at large in New Zealand after fleeing when most of them were due to return to Tonga.

The Prime Minister will ask RSE employers for forgiveness in an attempt to strengthen their relationship with his government.

Last month eight Tongan employees who worked for Turners and Growers in Kerikeri were sent home after being accused of drinking alcohol, being violent and being unable to carry out their tasks.

The Prime Minister will stay at ʻAtalanga royal residence in Auckland.

Hon. Pohiva will be accompanied by his personal assistant Poʻoi Pohiva, Deputy Secretary of Ministry of Internal Affairs, CEO ʻAna Bing Fonua and Deputy CEO Fanauʻifoʻou ʻAkauʻola.

They will be joined by the Tongan consul, Lenisiloti Sitafooti Aho and Haoʻuli.

The main points

  • Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva will hold official talks with Recognised Seasonal Employers in Kerikeri and Hasting after a Tongan employee fled at Auckland International airport.
  • Siosifa Manuofetoa arrived in New Zealand early this month to work at Mr Apple, but instead fled from the airport.
  • Mr Apple has turned to Samoa for a replacement.
  • This has been a big concern for the Prime Minister, who is worried that Mr Apple might take away the employment opportunity from Tonga and gave it to the Samoans.

For more information

Recalled Tonga workers not complying with contracts

Mr Apple

Mr. Apple wants more Samoan apple pickers

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1 COMMENT

  1. ʻE femeʻaʻaki ʻa e ʻEiki Palēmiá ʻAkilisi Pōhiva mo kinautolu ngaahi ngāueʻanga toli ʻi Kerikeri mo Hasting hili ia ha hola ʻa ha taha ngāue Tonga mei he malaʻevakapuna Fakavahaʻapuleʻanga ʻAokalaní.

    Ne tūʻuta ʻa Samuela Manuofetoa ʻi Nuʻu Sila he konga ki muʻa ʻo e māhina ní ke ngāue kia Mr Apple, ko e kautaha tufaki ʻāpele lahi taha ʻeni ʻa Nuʻu Silá.

    Ne hola ʻa Manuofetoa ia mei malaʻevakapuna teʻeki pā hono vaʻé he kelekele ʻo e ngāueʻangá.

    Ne afe hake leva ʻa Mr Apple ia ʻo kumi mai ha fetongi ʻo Manuofetoa mei Haʻamoa.

    ʻOku fakatupu hohaʻa lahi ʻeni ki he ʻEiki Palēmiá ʻa ia ʻoku ʻi ai ʻene manavasiʻi naʻa toʻo ʻe Mr Apple ai heni ʻa e faingamālie ngāué ni ʻo ʻave ia mei Tonga ki he kau Haʻamoá.

    ʻE tūʻuta ʻa e ʻEiki Palēmiá ʻi Nuʻu Silá ni he Tokonakí ʻi ha ʻaʻahi ʻaho nima.

    Te ne ʻuluaki fakataha mo Mr Apple ʻa ia ʻokú ne fakangāueʻi ʻa e kau ngāue Tonga laka hake he toko 400.

    Kuo fakangāueʻi ʻe he kautahá ni ha lau teau Tonga ʻi he ngāue tolí he ngaahi taʻu mai kuohilí.

    Kaneongo ia ne fakahā ia mei ai ʻi he kuohilí ʻa ʻene fiemaʻu lahi ange ʻa e kau Haʻamoá.

    Naʻe ʻi ai hono ʻai hake ʻi he 2014 e CEO ʻa Mr Apple, Andrew Van Workum ʻene pehē ʻoku lelei e toʻo fatongia ʻa e kau Haʻamoá ki he pisinisí.

    ʻOku lolotonga tuʻuaki atu ʻe he kautahá he taimí ni ha faingamālie ngāue ki he kau tolí.

    Fakatatau kia Sēfita Haoʻuli ko e kouʻōtineita ia ʻa e RSE ʻi Nuʻu Silá ko Tonga ʻoku lēkooti kovi taha ʻi ha toe kulupu mei he Pasifikí he hola mo nofoʻova ʻi Nuʻu Sila ní.

    ʻOku kei takai holo ha toko 16 kau ngāue Tonga ʻi Nuʻu Silá ni hili ia ha hola ʻa e tokolahi taha ʻo kinautolu he teu ʻenau fokí.

    ʻE fai e kole fakamolemole ʻa e ʻEiki Palēmiá ki he ngaahi ngāueʻanga tolí ko e feinga ke toe fakaleleiʻi honau vā mo hono puleʻangá.

    ʻI he māhina kuo ʻosí ne fakafoki ai ha toko valu Tonga ne nau ngāue toli he Turner and Growers ki ʻapi hili ia hono tukuakiʻi kinautolu ki he konā, kē pea ʻikai lava fai e ngāue ne nau omi aí.

    ʻE meʻa pe ʻa e ʻEiki Palēmiá ʻi ʻAtalanga.

    ʻOku fakafeʻao mai heʻene kau folaú ʻa ʻene sekelitali fakataautahá Poʻoi Pohiva,
    Sekelitali Tokoni ʻa e Potungāue Fakalotofonuá pehē ki he CEO ‘a e MIA ʻAna Bing Fonua mo hono tokoní CEO Fanauʻifoʻou ʻAkauʻola.

    ʻE kau atu ki heʻene timi ʻaʻahi ki ʻutá ʻa e konisela Tonga ʻi ʻAtalangá Lenisiloti Sitafooti Aho kae pehē foki kia Haoʻuli.