Let’s sort out security business

Security business has become an integral part of our society. As we grow as a nation and economic development and investments expand security needs to also increase to protect our interests. Over the years we have seen a plethora of new security businesses springing up around the country. This is a healthy development because it produces competition which in turn should raise the standard of service. We may have the numbers but do we have the quality? For a number of years the private security industry had been under-regulated. But in 2010 Government introduced the Security Industry Decree, providing licensing, control and monitoring.

In Parliament this week, Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Semi Koroilavesau disclosed that security firms owed more than $2 million to its workers in overtime pay. A ministry team has been inspecting security firms. It’s findings so far indicate that some security companies are not meeting their obligations to pay their workers appropriately as dictated by the minimum pay rule

Not all security firms are members of their professional body which scrutinises their activities. Because they are not bound by any rules, they may think they can do whatever they want. The security casual workers should be paid $2.51 an hour. Permanent workers get $3.40 an hour. They should get $6 meal allowance for working overtime. Opposition MP Viliame Gavoka said in Parliament that security workers were the most underpaid in the country. That is a widely-held perception in the country and it will not go away unless the pressing issues of pay and working conditions are addressed. It must be clarified that only some companies are in the bad egg basket. And these are the ones that should be targeted by the ministry monitoring team. They bring the industry a bad name. The importance of the security industry in our economy cannot be lightly glossed over. It’s a reality now that those who do business need security. A City Forex Foreign Exchange employee had a first hand experience when he thought he did not need a security guard to deposit $25,000 in a bank within a short walking distance. He was intercepted by two men who robbed him and ran away. His foolish decision attracted this response from the Commissioner of Police, Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho: “The biggest threat to security is believing that there is no threat.” Brigadier-General Qiliho has encouraged businesses to hire security guards to protect their assets. It’s a form of investment and it’s cheaper in the long-term. This is probably a good time to organise a security industry meeting to thrash out the problems facing the industry and pave a better way into the future.

Not all security firms are members of their professional body which scrutinises their activities. Because they are not bound by any rules, they may think they can do whatever they want. The security casual workers should be paid $2.51 an hour. Permanent workers get $3.40 an hour. They should get $6 meal allowance for working overtime.

The bus driver did visit me while I was in hospital apologising for his action and I accepted his apology. God has given me grace and I am just thankful to be alive. Abigail Kinikinilau Labasa bus accident survivor