Cabinet has approved the appointment of a Samoa Liaison Officer, to be based in Australia, who will be dedicated to the Seasonal Workers Programme (SWP).
The position, which is the first of its kind, will be taken up by Fulisiailagitele Saleuesile.
Saleuesile is currently the Principal Monitoring and Evaluation Officer with the Trade Commerce and Manufacturing Sector with the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour, (MCIL).
His primary responsibility in the new role is to provide effective management and administration of supply and demand for seasonal employment.
He is expected to secure more jobs and new employers for Samoans to be recruited under the SWP, an Australian version of New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme, (RSE).
There are over 600 Samoans working in Australia under the SWP compared to close to 2,000 locals employed by the Kiwis’ RSE programme, now in its twelfth year since Samoa joined the nine Pacific Islands Forum countries as one of the recruiting islands.
Saleuesile will also be on the ground for Government to promote Samoa within the Pacific Labour Mobility employment programme, which offers three years of employment in Australia in the horticulture and viticulture sectors as well as meat processing, trade, tourism and hospitality.
The Liaison Officer will also take on the pastoral care of Samoan workers and ensure that they do not break any laws or cause trouble, which may undermine government’s efforts to secure more jobs for Samoans.
A government press release said five applicants were interviewed for the position and the panel, upon their meticulous assessment of each applicant, recommended Saleuesile for the position.
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