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Miners at Fiji’s Vatukoula gold mine who were laid off in 2007 and continue to remain unemployed will receive a $1.6 million payout next week.
The payout is the first installment from a government-negotiated $6 million Deed of Settlement with Vatukoula Gold Mine Ltd.
Making the announcement today, permanent secretary for Lands Maria Tavewa said more than 690 of the 1700 workers laid off by Emperor Gold Mining Company in 2007 had been re-employed.
Tavewa said those who had been or are in the process of being re-employed at the mines will not benefit from the package, to be paid out over a five-year period.
She said assistance will also be extended to the spouses of those who qualified.
The deed’s trustees are the permanent secretaries for the ministries of Land and Labour.
