SHE hardly misses work during her scheduled duty days since joining SolTuna Limited in Noro, Western Province just over a year ago in November 2021.
Because of her faithfulness to work, it had landed her recognition as one of the faithful staff who had achieved 100 percent work attendance.
Meet Emma Kalena, 48, from North West Choiseul.
She was amongst a good number of employees who were awarded certificate of outstanding ‘Perfect attendance’ for turning up for work in 2022.
It’s a SolTuna tradition to award certificates of recognition and a cash award for being faithful to their work each year.
For 2022 last year, about 52 employees were awarded certificates of recognition and a cash of $1000 each.
On Monday, SolTuna management hosted a presentation ceremony that also coincided with a the annual ‘welcome back lunch’ for all the 2000 employees and announced the awards.
The ceremony also saw the outgoing general manager (GM) Jim Alexander from United States (US) who had spent ten years in Noro being farewelled.
Ms Kalena was a recipient because she never misses work except when she is felling unwell and needs a medical report to prove that.
Speaking to the paper after receiving her award, she said, she wasn’t expecting the award, but was glad that her work performance was recognised.
She joined the company in November 2021. As of this month, she had been with the company for sixteen months.
The mother of four said, her struggle to look for a steady income came to a reality after she managed to secure a job in Noro.
She was recruited and worked under the administration department as a grounds lady looking after the GM’s compound.
There are two ladies working for the GM and his wife Leo.
Her daily routine would involve waking up in the morning around 5am had her private devotion then would go out to water the flowers in the morning.
She would return home to have her breakfast before kick off the day at work.
By 8am she would start work and this would involve cleaning up around the compound until the knock off between 4.30pm to 5pm.
And she loves her job, she told the paper.
She lives in a staff quarter close by and this is convenient for her to arrive at work early.
Despite the bad weather or heavy sunshine, she would make sure she turns up for work.
And because of that, her records revealed she managed to clock a 100 percent work attendance in 2022.
She works Mondays to Fridays and would take weekends off.
Coming from a Christian background and faithful United Church believer, she never forgets her God and would attend church worships every Sunday.
Since working for the outgoing GM and his wife. Her responsibility is to ensure the compound remains clean, flowers well-groomed and the lawn continued to maintained.
She also acknowledged the kindness of the couple, their humility and their understanding to her work.
With the GM and wife being farewelled on Monday, she is sad because they would be leaving soon.
“We will miss them and their friendliness,” she said.
As a form three leaver, she said, the award through the form of cash incentive and certificate had motivated and encouraged her to continue work faithfully for SolTuna.
“This award is encouraging and I will continue to do my best to serve SolTuna. I love the working environment and condition of work here. I will continue as long as my service is required here,” she said.
She is satisfied with the wages she received every fortnight.
“I’m happy with the money I earn here because I can support my family and grandchildren,” she said.
She had four children. Three girls and a son. Two of the girls have married and have their own families. And because of that she always supports her grandchildren.
She also supports her two children who are still undergoing their education.
The hardworking mother recalled, back at her village earning an income is hard and very challenging.
“I only depend on my garden to sell the produce at the nearby villages several times a week.
“And in a day I earn around $50 to $80 in a day and it’s a struggle to have a steady income,” she said.
Since joining the SolTuna she now had a steady income and is grateful for the opportunity to work for the tuna processing firm.
“After being employed here, I’m happy with the income I get each fortnight which is much better and steady,” she told the paper during the interview at Noro.
She also encourages other girls and women to work faithfully in whatever little job they are doing.
“Because your faithfulness to work will be recognised someday,” she said.
Awarding and recognising of faithful employees was introduced by the outgoing general manager, Mr Alexander.
Apart from recognising staff who have faithfully turned up for work during their duty days, SolTuna also recognised staff who have been serving the company for twenty years.
For 2022, nine long serving staff received their certificates, cash incentive and a coat of recognition.
The management had acknowledged all the recipients for their commitment to stick with the company over the past two decades and for failing to miss work.
Chairman of SolTuna board, Adrian Wickham while acknowledging the staff for their faithfulness to work said, the initiative is part of SolTuna’s initiative to encourage employers to be faithful in their job and also to remain with the company.
By MOFFAT MAMU
