Fruit picker ʻOnisena Kohinoa, 57, can earn NZ$350 a day, an amount that amazed Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva when he visited some of the orchards in Hastings on Monday.

This means Kohinoa can put more than NZ$1000 in his pocket on pay day every week after deductions for his insurance, accommodation and taxes are made.

There were older Tongans at the orchards than Kohinoa including Taʻofi Liutai, 63, but he was employed as one of the group leaders, who they no longer picked fruits.

Letiō ʻAho, 47, was one of the best pickers among the Tongan fruit pickers at Mr Apple.

He could earn about NZ$1200 – 1400 a week after making his deductions.

“Picking apples is the most hard picking work but that’s where they could earn the most money if they work hard”, Tongan co-ordinator in Hawkes Bay, Tevita Niulata said.

“Last year ʻAho earned about NZ$35,000 cross in six months”, Niulata said.

Hon. Pohiva said after he heard about these people he could see an opportunity that increasing the number of Tongan employees in that age group could have potential.

He said they worked hard compared for their ages, but they hardly caused any social problems such as drinking and violence.

Anyone in Tonga who is 18 can apply to come to New Zealand through the RSE programme.

But the employers mostly wanted to employ those who are 20 – 45.

The Prime Minister was told while meeting with the Taylorcorp officials on Monday that a Tongan employee in the company had to appear in court the following day for assault charges.

In the apple orchard Kaniva News talked to some of the Tongan fruit pickers, including Fa’aoa Save and Mateaki Kivalu.

Save said he was happy with the money he earned, which was NZ$350,  the maximum he can get a day.

When asked about the accommodation he said it was in a very good condition.

The Prime Minister also visited the accommodation at Mr. Apple and was happy with it.

Kivalu who has been in and out of New Zealand through his RSE contracts for 10 years, was a group leader.

He conceded there were problems in the past regarding the Tongan employees’ pay and accommodation, but there had been a big change now.

He said his group was happy with what they earned and their accommodation.

The Prime Minister did not have time to visit one of the accommodations in Hastings but Kaniva News was told that Tongan employees were living and sleeping in a dormitory-like building, implying the employees did not enjoy the comfort their colleagues at other orchards enjoyed with their Individual rooms.

In the last five years it was estimated that TOP$12 million pa’anga was sent to Tonga by the RSE employees in the form of cash and domestic materials, Sefita Hao’uli, the Tongan RSE Coordinator in New Zealand said.

Selection of Tongan employees

During a press conference at the Scenic Hotel in Napier the Prime Minister and his CEO at the Ministry of Internal Affairs were questioned about how they selected fruit pickers that had caused social problems in New Zealand.

Hon. Pohiva said the process was dependent on the church leaders’ and the town officers’ reference letters supporting the potential employees.

When he got such letters supporting RSE applicants from his constituency he would, as an MP according to the policy, sign the contract allowing them to come to New Zealand.

But he said after a Tongan fruit picker arrived and absconded from the Auckland international airport early this month without going to his employer he thought the selection process should be “reviewed”.

He said he was thinking of extending the process from relying on the town officers, district officers and church ministers’ references to arranging interviews with the employees and their parents if they are still young before signing their contracts.

CEO Ana Bing Fonua said the Ministry was looking at the selection process.

The main points        

  • Fruit picker ʻOnisena Kohinoa, 57, can earn NZ$350 a day, an amount that amazed Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva when he visited some of the orchards in Hastings on Monday.
  • This means Kohinoa can put more than NZ$1000 in his pocket on pay day every week after deductions for his insurance, accommodation and taxes are made.
  • There were older Tongans at the orchards than Kohinoa including Taʻofi Liutai, 63, but he was employed as one of the group leaders, who they no longer picked fruits.
  • Pohiva said after he heard about these people he could see an opportunity that increasing the number of Tongan employees in that age group could have potential.

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