Foreign affairs receives concerning reports of extra-marital affairs by our seasonal workers in NZ and Aus
BY EDDIE OSIFELO
Reports of extra-marital affairs by our seasonal workers are reaching our foreign affairs ministry.
And, while these reports are concerning, the ministry cannot do much except appeal to our seasonal workers for respect and to pray.
The Labour Mobility Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) has received reports of extra-marital affairs practised by Solomon Islands workers in Australia and New Zealand, Permanent Secretary Collin Beck told media on Wednesday
The workers are part of the Australia Labour Mobility Scheme and New Zealand Government’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
Mr Beck said men over socialising and marital issues like adultery are common.
He said this is something they try to tell everyone to respect each one and another and stick to their goals.
“We want them to show a little discipline and try praying together as a family.
“To ensure some sense of family remain with families, but these things do happen,” he said.
However, Beck said when looking at the number of cases compare to other countries, they are doing very well.
But he said it is a painful thing to receive wives expressing their concerns on the lack of attention from their husbands and fathers coming to say their wives did not receive their calls.
“A lot of human challenges we deal with them.
“But even numbers not look too big, but always painful to see, even a case like that, is a bad case,” he added.
In the past 24 to 36 months 5,332 were mobilised to Australia and some have already completed their contract.
Currently, there are 4,705 workers are in Australia and the total number of workers in New Zealand is around 600.
LMU hope to surpass 1,000 workers for New Zealand this year.
With the new recruitment drive opened recently, LUM has received over 15,000 applicants online from people showing interest to join the programme.
LMU is hoping to send more than 2,000 to 3,000 workers in the next 19 months.
