Fiji wants to send workers to BC

published by Asianpost on Tue, 06/27/2006 - 17:38

Fiji Ambassador

Jesoni Vitusagavulu

Fiji is looking to start a guest-worker scheme with British Columbia to alleviate the province’s worker shortage.

Jesoni Vitusagavulu, Fiji's High Commissioner to Canada, said he plans to meet with B.C. officials to explore the possibility of a guest workers program for fruit pickers and caregivers.

Currently, the guest worker program allows workers from Mexico and the Philippines to enter Canada and work for a time as caregivers and fruit pickers.

Jesoni Vitusagavulu, who is also the envoy to the United States of America and Mexico became High Commissioner to Canada in a ceremony formalized in Ottawa when Canada's Governor-General Michaelle Jean accepted his letters of credentials from Fijian President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo.

Other trade issues for discussion include the possibility of lifting of a ban on the sale of kava in Canada.

Vitusagavulu said it was a matter he raised in a meeting with Canadian parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Health Steven Fletcher.

The ban cut kava exports to Canada from August 2002 after fears that kava caused liver diseases.

Vitusagavulu also provided the Governer General with a brief update on political and economic developments in Fiji.

"She was very interested in the multi-party Cabinet concept that we have introduced in Fiji," he said. "She was equally interested to hear about the strategies Fiji is pursuing to expand our exports against the backdrop of a challenging international trading environment."