SOLOMON Islands Seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand are pleading to their families and relatives back home for more understanding about their situation to avoid asking them for more than they can afford.
Speaking on behalf of the country’s seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand, one of the seasonal workers said the burden they bear to provide for themselves and their own families back here in Solomon Islands is too much, having to wake up at 4am each day to go to work and remain at work as late as 7pm.
“We have to wake up each day at 4 AM and clock out at work as late as 7 PM in the evening.
“It is important for our families and relatives to understand that working in Australia and New Zealand is not that glamorous and rosy and fun as they may think. Apart from our long hours of toil, we work in some very difficult weather circumstances.”
As such, the seasonal worker said their families should exercise responsibility when making requests for assistance and to ensure whatever money they send home must be used wisely.
“Our families and relatives need to recognise what we have to go through each day. The long hours of work and challenging weather conditions we have to endure each day are not something that should be taken lightly.
“They also need to understand that we ourselves need money to sustain us during our work tenure here and not demand us for more money and goods than we can afford.
“Our relatives, in particular, also need to understand that we have our own needs to take care of as well as those of our immediate families and hence whatever little help we can offer them, should be accepted without complaint.”
By MARY MANELEGUA
Solomon Star, Honiara
