By Staff Writer
Government is not doing any arm twisting to get the seafarers to sign up international working contracts if they do not want to.
The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi made this clear to the local media during the week.
He was responding to reports that the seafarers are not in a rush to sign up for the 80 new contracts for jobs on selected international shipping routes.
Tuilaepa was even called in to calm their fears of the coronavirus pandemic that has become a major worry for the families.
“The choice is up to them [seafarers] if they want to go this is an opportunity for them if not they don’t have to go, the choice is theirs to make,” he underlined.
The PM also wanted to avoid any backlash against Government if any unhappy situation arises with the seafarers.
He said Government usually takes the blame for whatever happens.
There were only 46 seafarers who signed up at the start when the contracts were first offered and all have had prior working experience outside Samoa.
The Samoa Shipping Service, SSS, as the recruiting agency of Government, wanted to make sure they can fill up all the job offers.
Doing so would avoid Samoa missing out of future job offers that could easily be filled by the local seafarers workforce.
The interest in recruiting from Samoa is high because it is COVID-19 free and the fears of the seafarers exposure to the virus while on travel to working locations were also minimised.
The SSS General Manager, Lautimuia Mr. Uelese Vaai, said that the hiring shipping companies have put in a lot of preparations into setting up a safe route for the seafarers to travel.
“It is understandable for parents not wishing any harm to come to their loved ones and it is the reason why seafarers are asked to hear out first what their families have to say,” Lautimuia explained.
Many are breadwinners for their families and have tried looking around for work but with very little success so it weighs on them.
The overall total of Samoan seafarers contracted to shipping companies around the world is 323.
