Major South African ICT operator Mind Pearl has entered into talks with the Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau (FTIB) for the creation of 3000 additional jobs in Fiji’s western division for its call centre operation to be based outside the capital Suva.
This is aside from the 3000 jobs at its successfully negotiated space at the Kalabo tax free zone in Nasinu, outside Suva, for the same call centre operation.
FTIB chairman Francis Narayan said though the Cayman Islands-based call centre operator was set to start recruiting next month, the firm had already indicated its plans to create an additional 3000 jobs for the West beginning 2011 to 2012.
“I would like to emphasise that this is perhaps one of the biggest things that has happened to the Fiji economy in the past few years. As a matter of fact, I don’t think ever before we’ve had one company which has come in with 3000 jobs,” Narayan said.
“Furthermore, not only have they confirmed 3000 jobs in Suva, they have already talked to us about a further 3000 jobs in the West starting in 2011 and 2012,” he said.
“So, I think the point we want to make is that this is real now. As far as Mind Pearl is concerned as well as the Fiji Government, all paper work has been signed, sealed and delivered and we are now in the next stage and that is the construction of the building.”
Narayan said negotiations with Mind Pearl were successfully completed two weeks ago.
He revealed today the FTIB board had awarded the building contract to JS Hill who had begun work at the site, an existing factory outlet at Kalabo.
“The contract is going to be done in two phases. The first phase is expected to cost around $5 million and that is the conversion of an existing factory within our Kalabo tax free zone – and that is expected to be constructed in a few months time,” he said.
Narayan said Mind Pearl intended to have their first 1000 people ready to go online from January 1 next year given that it has a large American airline company that required a good number of people.
He added a certain number of work permits had been issued for Mind Pearl to bring in at least six expatriates while the remainder of their staff would be locals.
Potential employees, mostly high school leavers, would be trained and employed in this operation and will be paid an annual package of between $12,000 and $15,000.
Narayan highlighted another interesting aspect of this operation that once operational, this activity would generate in the vicinity of almost $50 million in foreign exchange earnings every year.
It is understood Mind Pearl will invest some $45 million in the project, of which $7 to $8 million would be diverted to the make-over of the building to house its operations.
JS Hill’s Dick Elder said the workforce, currently placed at around 50, would increase to 1000 in the next six months as construction progressed.
He said besides steel, all raw materials would be sourced locally.
Mind Pearl is one of the major IT companies in the international airline business handling backroom office or call centre operations for airlines such as United Arab Emirates, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, and South African Airways among others.
